THE  LAND  OF  EIRE 


THE 

IRISH  LAND  LEAGUE 

■  ITS 

Origin,  Progress  and  Consequences 

PRECEDED  BY  A 

CONCISE  HISTORY  OF  THE  VARIOUS  MOVEMENTS  WHICH  HAVE  CULMINATED 
IN  THE   LAST  GREAT  AGITATION 

By  JOHN  DEVOY. 

WITH  A 

DESCRIPTIVE    AND     HISTORICAL     ACCOUNT     OF     IRELAND     FROM  THE 
EARLIEST  PERIOD  TO  THE  PRESENT  DAY. 

Illustrated  by  numerotts  Fine  Engravings 

Comprising  Portraits  of  the  Popular  Leaders  and  Views  of  the  Most 
Interesting  Scenery  and  Antiquities  of  the  Country. 


PUBLISHED  BY 

PATTERSON  &  NEILSON,  12  DEY  STREET,  NEW  YORK. 

RICHARD  NAGLE,  11  BROMFIELD  STREET,  BOSTON. 

BOSTON  COLLEGE  LlbKAKY 
CHESTNUT  HILL,  MASS. 


Digitizad>by-ttiG'Memel!LArchive 
in  2014 


https://archive.org/details/landofeireirishlOOdevo 


PREFACE. 


HE  green  isle  of  Erin  is  blessed  with  a  wealth  of  superb  and  exquisite  scenery  and 


legendary  and  historical  attractions  that  have  for  years  formed  fruitful  themes  for 
the  poet,  the  novelist,  the  historian  and  the  antiquary.  The  painter  too,  has 
transferred  to  his  canvas  some  of  its  best  examples  of  natural  grandeur  and  beauty ;  while 
the  musician  has  wedded  to  its  name  some  of  his  most  charming  inspirations.  Ireland  has 
consequently  become  so  favorably  known  to  the  wonder-seeking  world,  that  it  now  allures 
to  its  shores  a  considerable  flow  of  the  tide  of  travel ;  and  admirers  of  the  picturesque, 
drawn  thither  to  view  with  unprejudiced  eye  its  abrupt  and  noble  mountains,  its  shadowy 
ind  secluded  lakes,  its  romantically  wild  and  sylvan  streams,  its  deep-set  glens  and  its 
bounding  waterfalls,  leave  with  but  one  feeling — that  if  it  is  not  the  "  first  flower  of  the 
earth"  it  is,  without  doubt,  the  "first  gem  of  the  sea."  There  is  not,  indeed,  an  island  of 
more  enchanting  loveliness ;  yet,  there  is  combined  with  its  scenic  charms  a  richness  of 
antiquity  found  in  a  profusion  of  magnificent  ruin,  and  of  castle,  cathedral,  monastery,  and 
palace ;  while  many  of  its  cities,  and  especially  its  capital,  possess  modern  edifices,  which 
display  correct  architectural  taste  and  present  pleasing  aspects  of  public  improvement. 

A  work  which  comprises  pictorial  delineations  of  the  leading  artistic  features,  and  an 
historical  and  descriptive  account  of  such  a  country,  fulfils  a  three-fold  mission.  It 
refreshes  the  memory  of  the  traveler,  when  at  his  domestic  hearth  his  mind  reverts  to  the 
pleasures  of  his  wayfarings ;  and  it  affords  him  a  store  of  information  relative  to  the 
places  he  has  visited,  which  he  is  unable  either  to  gather  or  digest  while  journeying 
along.  It  is  equally  valuable  to  those  who,  unable  to  leave  their  homes,  delight  to  wander 
in  the  imagination  to  far-off  lands,  as  it  enables  them  to  form  some  idea  of  their  peculiar 
characteristics ;  and  it  appeals  directly  to  the  eye  and  heart  of  the  native  born,  who  is 
naturally  animated  with  that  love  of  country  which  finds  its  inspiration  in  every  patriotic 
breast.  The  sons  and  daughters  of  Erin  are  renowned  for  their  home  affections,  which  are 
increased  in   intensity  when  their  lot  is  cast  in  foreign  climes.     It  must  be  not  alone 


ii  PREFACE 

their  natural  desire,  but  that  of  all  those  who  claim  as  the  home  of  their  fathers  that 
"  sweetest  isle  of  the  ocean,"  to  possess  a  more  substantial  souvenir  of  their  beloved  land 
than  can  be  obtained  from  dreams  of  its  "sea-beaten  shore,"  and  it  is  evident  all  will  find 
in  the  present  work  attractions  that  cannot  fail  to  make  it  interesting  and  popular. 

But  Ireland  is  remarkable  in  her  history,  as  well  as  in  her  scenery  and  antiquities,  and 
the  great  agitations  which  have  stirred  her  people  during  the  present  century  have  occu- 
pied a  considerable  share  of  the  world's  attention.  They  have  left  indelible  marks  on  the 
character  of  the  Irish  people,  and  it  is  therefore  proper  in  a  work  of  this  kind  to  devote 
some  attention  to  them.  The  great  Land  Agitation,  led  by  Charles  Stewart  Parnell  and 
Michael  Davitt,  has  effected  such  changes  in  the  relations  between  the  various  classes  of 
the  population,  and  between  Ireland  and  England,  that  it  is  well  worthy  of  serious  study. 
In  "the  opening  chapters  the  events  which  led  up  to  it,  the  springs  of  action,  the  aims 
and  objects  of  its  founders  and  prime  movers,  and.  the  work  it  accomplished,  are  sketched 
from  the  inside,  and  an  array  of  facts  never  before  published  are  presented. 

The  reader  will  thus  be  enabled  to  note  the  changes  in  the  public  life  of  Ireland  dur- 
ing an  eventful  period,  and  to  see  the  country  and  the  people  just  as  they  are  at  the 
present  time.  Every  effort  has  been  made,  in  short,  to  present  a  faithful,  comprehensive 
and  complete  picture  of  the  Emerald  Isle. 

J.  D. 


CONTENTS. 


Part  I. 


Chapter. 

I. — IRELAND'S  POLITICAL  AND  SOCIAL  CONDITION, 


Page. 


9 


The  Philosophy  of  Irish  History — Survival  of  an  Ancient  Civilization  and  its  Influence  on 
the  National  Struggle — Warring  Races  and  Conflicting  Social  Systems — From  'Eighty-two 
to  the  Land  League. 


II.— A  NEW  DEPARTURE   IN   IRISH  AFFAIRS,  35 


The  National  Spirit  Unbroken  by  the  Abortive  Rising  of  1867 — Reorganizing  the  Forces 
of  Disaffection — The  Manchester  Rescue  and  the  Election  of  John  Mitchel — Rise  of  the  Par- 
nell  Group  of  Irish  Members — Davitt  and  the  American  Nationalists — Foundation  and 
Progress  of  the  Land  League. 


III.— THE  LAND  WAR   AND  ITS   RESULTS,  63 


Parnell  and  Dillon  in  America — How  the  American  Land  League  was  Founded — The 
Parliamentary  Elections  of  1880 — Davitt's  Second  Visit  to  the  United  States — His  Return 
and  Arrest — The  Land  Act  and  Coercion — Arrest  of  the  Members  and  the  No  Rent  Mani- 
festo— The  "  Treaty  of  Kilmainham  "  and  the  Phcenix  Park  Murders — General  Outcome  of 
the  League's  Work — A  New  Ireland. 


General  Character  of  the  Counties  of  Cork  and  Kerry — Antiquities — Tower  at  Kinneath — 
Historical  Notice  of  the  City  of  Cork  :  Streets,  Bridges  and  Public  Buildings — Birthplace  of 
Distinguished  Persons — Character  of  the  Inhabitants — Suburbs  of  Cork — Blarney  Village 
and  Castle — Tradition  of  the  Blarney  Stone — Curious  Cromlech  and  Druidic  Relics — Road 
from  Cork  to  Bantry — Bantry  Bay — Attempted  Landings  of  the  French  there — Glengariff — 
Its  Scenery — Cromwell's  Bridge — The  Harbor. 


II. 


Chapter. 

I.— THE  CITY  OF  CORK  TO  BANTRY  BAY,  - 


Page. 


I 


iv. 


CONTENTS 


Chapter.  Page. 

II.— THE  LAKES  OF  KILLARNEY,  28 

Road  from  Glengariff — Kenmare — Town  of  Killarney — Ross  Island  and  Castle — O'Donog- 
hue's  Prison — Romantic  Tradition  Respecting  the  Chief — Innisfallen,  its  Ruins,  and  its 
Annals — Abbey  of  Muckross — Tore  Cascade — Middle  and  Lower  Lakes — Derrycunihy  Cas- 
cade— Taking  a  Stag — Panoramic  View  of  the  Lakes — Ronayne's  Island — Old  Weir  Bridge — 
Meeting  of  the  Waters — Glena  Cottage — View  from  Innisfallen — O'Sullivan's  Cascade — 
Muckross  Revisited — Legend  of  the  Yew  Tree — General  Remarks  on  the  Scenery — The 
Upper  Lake — Colman's  Leap — Eagle's  Nest — Cave  and  Gap  of  Dunloe — Carran-Tuel — 
Mangerton — Devil's  Punch  Bowl — The  Beggar  Nuisance. 


III.— VALLEYS  OF  THE  FLESK  AND  THE  LEE,  

Killaha  Castle — Labbig  -  Owen — Macroom — Inchageela — Lough  Allua — Gougane  Barra — 
Remarks  on  "Patrons" — Pass  of  Keimaneigh — Abbey  and  Castle  of  Kilcrea — Plundering 
Bands  of  Kernes — Ballincollig — Inniscarra — "The  Ovens" — Carrigrohan  Castle — Love  of 
Dancing  Amongst  the  Irish — Approach  to  Cork. 


IV.— QUEENSTOWN  AND  ITS  HARBOR,  

The  River  Lee  below  Cork — Glanmire  and  Dunkettle — Blacfcrock  Castle  and  its  Associa- 
tions— Ursuline  Convent — Dundanion  Castle — Little  Island — Subterranean  Chambers  at 
Carrigtohill — Lough  Mahon — Foaty — Passage — Giant's  Stairs — Monkstown  and  its  Castle — 
Queenstown — Ancient  and  Modern  Yachting — Barrymore  Island — Queenstown  Harbor — 
Drake's  Escape  from  the  Spaniards — Beauties  of  the  Harbor  and  River  Scenery — Rostellan 
Castle — Sword  of  Brian  Boroihme — Castle  Mary  and  its  Ancient  Cromlechs — Cloyne  and  its 
Cathedral — Bishop  Berkeley — Turaghan,  or  Round  Tower — Remarks  on  the  Round  Towers 
of  Ireland. 


V.— ALONG  THE  SOUTH-EASTERN  SHORE,  92 

Youghal  and  its  Collegiate  Church — Residence  of  Sir  Walter  Raleigh — Introduction  of 
Potatoes  into  Ireland — Valley  of  the  Blackwater — Dromana  and  the  Desmonds — Lismore 
and  its  Castle — Dungarvan — Tramore  Bay — Dunbrody  Abbey — Harbor  and  City  of  Water- 
ford — Cathedral  and  Reginald's  Tower — Villages  on  the  Coast — Saltee  Islands — Discovery 
of  Refugees — Harbor  and  Town  of  Wexford — Baronies  of  Forth  and  Bargy  and  their 
peculiarities. 


VI.— FROM  KILKENNY  TO  QUEENSTOWN,   112 

New  Ross  and  its  Historic  Incidents  —  Kilkenny,  its  Castle  and  Cathedral — Round 
Tower  and  other  Antiquities — Its  Eminent  Collegians — Amateur  Theatricals — Curious 
Case  of  Witchcraft — Cave  of  Dunmore — Jerpoint  Abbey — Valley  of  the  Suir — Slieve-na- 
man — Racing  for  a  husband — Clonmel,  the  "Vale  of  Honey" — Bianconi  and  his 
cars  —  Donoghmore  and  Fethard — Cahir  —  Caves  of  Mitchelstown — Moat  of  Knock- 
graffon — Tipperary — The  "Golden  Vale" — Rock  of  Cashel — Cashel  Cathedral — Round 
Tower — Cormac's  Chapel  —  Hore  Abbey — Holy  Cross  Abbey — Thurles — Kilcolman 
Castle. 


CONTENTS 


v. 


Chapter.  Page. 

VIL— THE  SOUTHERN  AND  WESTERN  COASTS  r40 

Old  Head  of  Kinsale — Baltimore  Bay — Cape  Clear — Dunmanus  Bay — Bantry  Bay — 
Harbors  of  Kerry — Derrynane  Abbey — The  Skelligs — Island  of  Valentia  and  Atlantic 
Cable — Dingle  Bay — The  Blaskets — Tralee  Harbor  and  Town — Kerry  Head — Bally- 
bunion — Mineral  Wealth  of  Kerry — Sunken  City — Loop  Head — Natural  Bridges  at 
Ross  —  Kilkee — Remarkable  Cave — Bishop's  Rock  —  Puffing  Cavern — Romantic  Coast 
Scenery — Cove  in  Malbay — Birds  of  the  Coast — Milltown  Malbay — Lahinch — Kilfenora — 
Cliffs  of  Moher — Arran  Islands — Bays  of  Connemara  —  Ballynahinch  —  Roundstone — 
Urrisbeg — Clifden — The  Killary— Mvveelrea — Delphi  Lodge. 

VIII. — FROM  GALWAY  TO  LIMERICK,  170 

Bay  of  Galway,  formerly  a  Lake — Town  of  Galway — Spanish  Aspects — Origin  of  the 
name — Early  History — The  Tribes  of  Galway — Sieges  the  Town  has  Undergone — 
Lynch  Castle  and  the  Lynch  Family — Tragical  Story  of  the  Warden  of  Galway — Col- 
legiate Church  of  St.  Nicholas — Queen's  College — Eminent  Men  of  Galway — The 
Claddagh,  its  People  and  their  Peculiar  Customs — Population  and  Trade  of  Galway 
— Its  Commercial  Advantages — Proximity  to  America — Natural  Features — Abbey  of 
Clare-Galway  —  Athenry — Tuam  and  its  Two  Cathedrals — Gort — Lough  Cooter  and 
its  Eccentric  Outlet  —  Cathedral  and  Round  Tower  of  Kilmacduagh  —  Ennis  — 
Ruined  Abbeys  of  Clare  and  Killone — Clare  Castle. 

IX.— LIMERICK  AND  THE  LOWER  SHANNON,  184 

Kilrush — Scattery  Island,  its  Churches  and  Legends — Grave  of  "The  Colleen  Bawn" — 
Tarbert — Castle  of  Glin — Foynes — Adare,  its  Castle  and  Ecclesiastical  Edifices — Castle 
of  Bunratty — Carrig-o-Gunnell  Castle,  and  its  Commanding  View — Approach  to  Lim- 
erick— Wellesley  Bridge — English  and  Irish  Towns — Newton  Pery — Limerick  compared 
with  New  York — The  Bridges — Historical  Events  and  Memorable  Sieges — The  Violated 
Treaty — Limerick  Castle — Old  Thomond  Bridge  and  the  Treaty  Stone — St.  Mary's 
Cathedral — Legend  of  its  Bells  —  Other  Religious  Structures — Public  Buildings  and 
Commercial  Enterprises — Limerick  Lasses  and  Street  Minstrels — Garryowen — Mungret 
and  its  Monastic  Remains. 

X.  — THE  MIDDLE   AND  UPPER  SHANNON,  204 

Course  of  the  River — Doonass  Rapids — Castle  Connell  and  its  Historical  Associations 
— Killaloe — Kinkora,  the  Palace  of  Brian  Boroimhe — Lough  Derg — Innis-Cealtra  or 
Holy  Island — Picturesque  Scenery  —  Portumna  —  Archaeological  Discoveries — Clonfert — 
Grand  Canal — River  Suck — Ballinasloe  and  its  Famous  Fair — Battle  of  Aughrim — 
Seven  Churches  of  Clonmacnoise — Temple  McDermott — Round  Towers — Ancient  Cross 
— Athlone  and  its  Brave  Defenders — Lissoy,  the  scene  of  the  "Deserted  Village" — 
Upper  Shannon — Lough  Ree — Rincruin — Roscommon — Seven  Churches  of  Kilbarry — 
Carrick-on-Shannon — Source  of  the  River. 

XI.  — FROM  THE  SHANNON  TO  THE  METROPOLIS,  225 

Longford — Edgeworthstown  and  the  Edgeworths — Multifarnham  and  its  Abbey — Lough 
Ouel — Mullingar— Lough  Ennel— Bog  of  Allen — Ancient  Seminary  of  Clonard — Dangan 
Castle  and  the  Wellesleys— Hill  and  Castle  of  Carbury— Maynooth  Castle  and  College 
—Approach  to  Dublin. 


Part  III. 


Chapter.  Page. 

I.— THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN,  i 

Ancient  Divisions  of  Ireland  —  Situation  of  the  Metropolis  —  Origin  of  its  Name  and 
Important  Events  in  its  History — Population  and  Social  Classification — Castle  of  Dublin,  its 
History  and  Past  and  Present  Uses — Cathedral  of  St.  Patrick,  its  Erection  and  Restoration — 
Notable  Monuments  and  Choral  Music — The  Story  of  "  Stella  " — Christ  Church  Cathedral 
and  its  Restoration — Monument  to  Strongbow — Lord  Portlester's  Chapel — St.  Michael's 
Church  and  its  Antiseptic  Vaults — Modern  Protestant  Churches — Roman  Catholic  Edifices — 
Trinity  College — College  Green  and  its  Statues — Bank  of  Ireland— Old  Parliament  House — 
Theatres  —  Royal  Dublin  Society  —  Stephen's  Green — Exhibition  Palace  —  International 
Exhibitions. 


II.— THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN  (Continued),  24 

Quays  of  the  Liffey— Kilmainham  Hospital— The  Bridges — The  Four  Courts — Queen's 
Inn — Royal  Exchange  or  City  Hall — Views  from  Carlisle  Bridge— Sackville  Street — 
Nelson's  Pillar — Post  Office — Rotunda  and  Lying-in  Hospital — Statues  to  Smith  O'Brien 
and  O'Connell — Custom  House — North  and  South  Walls — Docks  and  Basins — Commerce 
and  Manufactures — Literary  and  Benevolent  Institutions — Railways — Eminent  Natives — 
Phoenix  Park — Wellington  Testimonial — People's  and  Zoological  Gardens — Vice  Regal 
Lodge— Origin  and  Beauty  of  the  Park — The  "Fifteen  Acres,"  and  the  Good  Old  Days. 


III.— THE  UPPER  LIFFEY  AND  BEYOND  KILDARE,  ------  44 

Beauty  of  the  Dublin  Suburbs — Valley  of  the  Liffey — Castleknock  and  its  Legends— The 
"Strawberry  Beds" — Woodlands — Lucan — Leixlip  and  its  Salmon  Leap — Celbridge— Swift 
and  "Vanessa" — Clane — Roman  Catholic  College  at  Clangowes  Wood — Sallins — Grand 
Canal — Naas — Falls  of  Poul-a-Phouca — Kilcullen — Curragh  of  Kildare — City  of  Kildare — 
Athy — Mullimast  and  its  Historic  Associations — Moat  of  Ascul — Carlow — Clondalkin  and 
its  Round  Tower. 


IV. — THE  SEABOARD  ENVIRONS  OF  DUBLIN,  57 

Marino — Clontarf  and  its  Battle  Ground — Malahide  Castle — The  Widowed  Bride — Lambay 
— Ireland's  Eye — Howth  Castle  and  its  Valiant  Possessors — The  Stolen  Heir — Howth 
Harbor  and  Ancient  Abbey — Bailey  Lighthouse — Historical  Importance  of  the  Promontory — 
View  of  Dublin  Bay — Kingstown  and  its  Fine  Harbor — Dalkey  Atmospheric  Railway — 
Killiney  Hill  and  the  View  Therefrom— Mock  Kingdom  of  Dalkey -Killiney  Village  and 
Bay — Ballybrack — Bray — Kilruddery  House — Bray  Head  and  its  Prospect — Mount  Anville — 
Donnybrook  Fair. 


CONTENTS 


Vll 


^napccr. 

V.  — THE  BEAUTIES  OF  WICKLOW,  79 

Character  of  the  Scenery — Dundrum — Three  Rock  Mountain — Kilgobbin — "  The  Scalp" — 

Enniskerry  Sugar  Loaf  Mountain — Glen  of  the  Dargle — Powerscourt  Castle,  Deerpark, 

and  Waterfall— Tinnahinch— Loughs  Bray— Douce  Mountain— Lough  Tay  or  Luggelaw— 
Druidical  Rocking  Stone — Lough  Dan — Roundwood — Mountains,  Glens,  and  Military 
Road— Glendalough,  its  Ruins,  Loughs,  and  Legends— Round  Tower— St.  Kevin  and  the 
Infatuated  Kathleen— Glenmalure— Lugnaquilla— Rathdrum— Castle  Howard— Meeting  of 
the  Waters — Vale  of  Avoca — Woods  of  Shillelagh — Shelton  Abbey — Arklow — Town  of 
Wicklow— Rosanna  House  and  the  Author  of  "  Psyche  "—Devil's  Glen— Pass  of  Dunran— 
Glen  of  the  Downs. 

VI.  — THE  VALLEY  OF  THE  BOYNE,  no 

Historic  Importance  of  the  River — Glasnevin  and  its  Celebrities — Trim  and  its  Ancient 
Castle — Newtown  Trim  and  its  Ecclesiastical  Ruins — Bective  Abbey — Hill  of  Tara  and  its 
Historic  Glories — Beauty  of  the  River's  Banks — Holy  Wells — Patterns  and  the  Cause  of 
their  Decline — Athlumney  Castle — Navan — Kells  and  St.  Columbkille — Hill  of  Telton  and 
its  Ancient  Fair — Strange  Matrimonial  Custom — Church  and  Round  Tower  of  Donaghmore — 
Antiquities  at  Slane — St.  Patrick's  Defiance— Brugh-na-Boinne,  the  Royal  Cemetery— Mound 
at  New  Grange — Battle  of  the  Boyne — Drogheda  and  its  Associations — Mellifont  and 
Monasterboice. 

VII.  — THE  MOURNE  MOUNTAINS  AND  ARMAGH,  127 

Dunleer  and  its  Sovereign — Dundalk  and  the  Last  King  of  Ireland — Greenore  and 
Greencastle — Carlingford  Magnificent  Scenery — Monument  to  General  Ross — Carlingford 
Bay — Beautiful  Ross  -Trevor— Slieve  Ban  and  Cloughmore — Kingdom  of  Mourne — Kilkeel — 
Slieve  Donard — Newcastle — Dundrum — Downpatrick,  the  Last  Resting  Place  of  the 
Patron  Saint — Mountain  Seats  and  Villages — Rathfriland — Warrenpoint — Narrow  Water 
Castle — Newry  and  its  Associations — Armagh  and  its  Ecclesiastical  Renown — The  Modern 
Archiepiscopal  City — Portadown,  Lurgan,  and  Lismore — Approach  to  Belfast. 

VIII— BELFAST  AND  THE  ANTRIM  COAST,  139 

View  from  Cave  Hill — Early  History  and  Modern  Growth  of  Belfast — Docks  and  Shipping 
— Linen  Trade — Public,  Religious  and  Educational  Edifices — Eminent  Citizens — Commerce 
of  Belfast — Giant's  Ring — Belfast  Lough — Antrim  and  its  Round  Tower — Shane's  Castle — 
Lough  Neagh — Carrickfergus  and  its  Castle — Bangor — Donaghadee — Island  Magee — Larne — 
Castle  of  Olderfleet — Glenarm,  and  the  Race  which  Won  it — Nachore  Hill  and  Garron 
Point — Glenariff  and  Red  Bay — Cushendall  and  Cushendun — Tor  Head — Glendun — Fair 
Head  and  its  Basaltic  Columns — Ballycastle  and  its  Coal  Mines — Antrim  Coast  Road. 

IX.— THE  GIANT'S  CAUSEWAY,      -         -  163 

Kenbane  Castle — Rathlin  Island  and  Brace's  Castle — Carrick-a-Rede  and  its  Flying-Bridge 
— Dunseverick  Castle — Bengore  Head — The  Giant's  Causeway  and  its  Fabulous  Origin — 
First  Impressions  Deceptive  —  Wonderful  Natural  Phenomenon  — "Measurement  and 
Geometrical  Characteristics — Giant's  Organ,  Loom,  and  other  Curious  Basaltic  Conforma- 
tions— Giant's  Amphitheatre  and  Chimney  Tops — The  Pleaskin — Indentations  of  the  Coast — 
Dunkerry  and  Portcoon  Caves — Wonders  of  the  Causeway  Contemplated — Dunluce  Castle 
and  its  Checkered  History — The  White  Rocks  and  the  Priest's  Hole — Portrush — 
Coleraine — Magilligan  and  Limavady. 


viii. 


CONTENTS 


Chapter.  Page. 

X.— LONDONDERRY  AND  THE  NORTHWEST,  181 

The  "Maiden  City" — Its  Early  History — Londonderry  and  the  Plantation  of  Ulster — 
The  Memorable  Siege — Ancient  Bastions  and  Gates — Walker's  Pillar — Cathedral  and  other 
Public  Edifices — Loughs  Foyle  and  Swilly — Peninsula  of  Innishowen — Grianan  Aileach — 
Strabane,  Newton  Stewart  and  Omagh — Enniskillen — Devenish  Island,  its  Churches  and 
Round  Tower — The  River  Erne — The  Upper  and  Lower  Loughs — Lough  Derg  and  St. 
Patrick's  Purgatory — Fisheries  of  Ballyshannon — Donegal  Town  and  Bay — Grandeur  of 
Donegal  Scenery — Sligo — Hazlewood  and  Lough  Gill— Ballina — Roserk  Abbey — Abbey  of 
Moyne — Killala — French  Invasion — Lough  Conn  and  Mt.  Nephin — Lough  Cullen — 
Castlebar. 


XL— CONNEMARA  AND  JOYCE'S  COUNTRY,  202 

Historic  Districts — Westport  and  Clew  Bay — Croagh  Patrick  and  the  Prospect  it  Embraces 
— Achill  and  Clare  Islands — Grace  O'Malley,  the  Sea  Rover — Leenane — The  Joyce 
Family — The  Killary — Loughs  Fee  and  Kylemore — Pass  of  Kylemore — Letterfrack — 
Lough  Inagh — Maamturc  and  Binabola  Mountains — Characteristics  of  the  Scenery — Loughs 
Derryclare  and  Garromin — Roads  to  Galway  and  Cong — Hen's  Castle — Cong,  its  Abbey 
and  Ancient  Crosses — Monumental  Remains — Subterranean  River — Plain  of  Moytura — 
Loughs   Mask   and   Corrib,    their  Islands   and   Fortresses — Return   to  Galway. 


THE  LAND  OF  EIRE. 


Part  I— THE  IRISH  LAND  LEAGUE. 

CHAPTER  I. 
IRELAND'S  POLITICAL  AND  SOCIAL  CONDITION. 

The  Philosophy  of  Irish  History — Survival  of  an  Ancient  Civilization  and  its  Influence  on  the 
National  Struggle — Warring  Races  and  Conflicting  Social  Systems — From  'Eighty-two  to 
the  Land  League. 

IRELAND  occupies  a  position  in  the  world  which  is  entirely  anomalous 
and  peculiar.  Her  geographical  position  gives  her  a  climate  and  a 
scenery  widely  differing  from  those  of  the  rest  of  Europe,  and  her 
history,  politics,  and  social  system  present  contrasts  equally  striking. 

Lying  outside  the  march  of  the  Roman  legions,  she  was  the  only 
country  of  Western  Europe  which  was  able  to  preserve  and  hand  down 
to  modern  times  an  older,  if  less  perfect,  civilization,  the  marks  of  which 
are  indelibly  stamped  on  the  character  of  the  people.  In  the  long,  dark 
night  which  followed  the  destruction  of  the  Western  Empire  she  was 
the  one  bright  spot  where  liberty,  literature,  and  art  found  a  refuge,  and 
from  the  spark  preserved  in  her  schools,  the  light  of  knowledge  was  again 
spread  over  Europe,  and  the  rude  Northern  barbarians,  whose  sway 
replaced  that  of  Rome,  were  civilized  by  her  missionaries.  The  brutal 
and  degrading  feudal  system   obtained  no   foothold  on   her  soil,  and  in 

B 


IO 


IRELAND'S  POLITICAL  IMPORTANCE. 


the  twelfth  century  the  Anglo-Norman  freebooters,  who  commenced  the 
English  Conquest,  found  a  social  organization  recognizing  the  equality  of 
man,  and  the  people  as  the  owners  of  the  land.  From  that  day  to  the 
present  a  struggle  has  been  going  on  between  two  conflicting  principles 
— two  antagonistic  systems,  which  are  contending  for  the  mastery  of  the 
world.    It  is  a  war  of  races,  but  none  the  less  a  conflict  of  principles. 

Thus  Ireland  has  for  centuries  received  a  share  of  the  world's  atten- 
tion out  of  all  proportion  with  her  population  or  the  extent  of  her 
territory.  No  country  of  such  insignificant  proportions,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  ancient  Greece,  has  ever  played  so  conspicuous  a  part  in  human 
affairs.  Her  misfortunes,  her  sufferings,  the  achievements  of  her  exiled 
sons,  the  social  and  political  questions  which  agitate  her  people,  her 
relations  with  the  greatest  empire  the  world  has  seen  since  the  fall  of 
Rome,  have  afforded  a  fascinating  subject  for  study  to  European  states- 
men and  thinkers  for  many  generations.  But  the  events  of  the  past 
few  years  have  enhanced  this  interest,  and  fixed  the  attention  of  the 
civilized  world  upon  her  with  an  intensity  without  precedent  in  her 
previous  history.  The  immediate  cause  of  this  increased  importance  was 
the  Land  Agitation,  which  started  in  1879,  apd  nas  since  put  English 
statesmanship  to  a  greater  strain  than  anything  that  has  occurred  since 
the  wars  growing  out  of  the  French  Revolution. 

No  more  remarkable  change  has  occurred  in  any  country  in  Europe 
during  this  century  than  that  which,  to  one  who  goes  beneath  the 
surface,  is  visible  in  the  Irish  people  since  then.  Nothing  like  it  has 
been  seen  since  the  great  Revolution  swept  like  a  tornado  over  France, 
tearing  away  the  whole  fabric  of  the  old  society,  and  uprooting  insti- 
tutions whose  foundations  had  been  firmly  imbedded  in  the  soil  by  a 
thousand  years  of  human  toil  directed  by  genius  of  the  highest  order. 

The  fact  that  this  is  only  apparent  to  those  who  are  familiar  with 
the  politics  and  social  life  of  the  country,  the  thoughts  and  hopes  and 
impulses  of  the  people,  is,  in  some  degree,  owing  to  the  process  by 
which  it  has  been  brought  about.  No  visible,  tangible  thing  has  been 
knocked  down  or  destroyed,  no  new  institution  has  been  built  up.  The 
change  is  in  7neris  minds,  and  is  still  going  on.  It  is  the  mental  revolution 
which  always  precedes — and  must  always  precede — the  overturning  of  old 
political  or  social  systems,  and  the  substitution  of  a  new  order  of  things. 


A    GRADUAL  PROCESS  OF  CHANGE. 


1 1 


But  this  revolution  has  not  taken  place  in  a  day.  Although  only 
visible  since  the  starting  of  the  Land  League,  the  process  of  change  has 
been  going  on  for  generations.  The  events,  the  ideas,  the  causes  which 
led  up  to  it,  have  been  in  steady  operation  for  centuries  and  the  out- 
come is  as  clear,  natural  and  logical  as  anything  within  the  reach  of 
human  knowledge.  The  movement  which  has  so  agitated  Ireland  and 
fixed  the  attention  of  the  world  upon  her,  was  as  much  the  result  of  those 
that  preceded  it,  and  of  the  causes  from  which  they  sprang,  as  the  ripe 
grain  is  the  result  of  the  seed  sown  by  the  husbandman.  No  new  idea 
had  come  into  Ireland,  no  sudden  impulse  had  seized  upon  the  people, 
no  prophet  had  arisen  to  preach  a  new  political  or  social  creed ;  but 
ideas  and  principles  planted  generations  ago,  and  nurtured  in  blood  and 
tears  and  unparalleled  human  suffering,  had  commenced  to  bear  fruit. 
The  Anglo-Norman  Conquest,  the  four  centuries  of  incessant  struggle 
that  preceded  the  final  defeat  of  O'Neill  at  Kinsale,  the  Reformation,  the 
plantations,  confiscations  and  butcheries  of  the  Stuarts  and  of  Cromwell, 
the  Penal  Laws,  the  short  lived  Independence  of  the  Irish  Parliament, 
the  pitchcap,  the  gibbet,  and  the  slaughterings  of  '98,  the  Emancipation 
and  Repeal  movements,  the  Famine  of  '47,  Young  Ireland,  Fenianism — 
all  contributed  their  share  to  bring  about  this  state  of  things  and  to 
shape  the  thoughts  and  feelings  of  the  people. 

But  the  more  recent  movements  have  had  decidedly  the  deepest 
influence,  as  they  were  themselves  the  latest  product,  the  fullest  develop- 
ment, up  to  their  time,  of  a  steady  and  certain  progression  of  events. 
The  Land  League  was  a  product  of  Fenianism,  as  the  latter  was  a 
product  of  Young  Ireland.  Its  principles,  no  matter  how  modified  by 
time  and  circumstances,  it  derived  from  the  literature  of  Young  Ireland, 
and  its  organization  directly  through  its  founder,  from  Fenianism.  To 
ignore  this  fact  is  to  ignore  the  true  significance  of  the  new  situation. 

The  history  of  this  change  is  the  history  of  Ireland  during  three 
eventful  years ;  but,  to  properly  understand  it,  a  rapid  survey  of  the 
events  which  preceded  it,  and  of  the  conditions  of  politics  and  society 
prevailing  at  the  time  this  great  movement  began,  will  be  necessary. 

Three  years  before,  to  judge  by  whatever  of  political  life  was  visible 
on  the  surface,  Ireland  was  practically  dead.  Hardly  a  ripple  of  activity 
disturbed   the  placid  surface  or  showed   there  was  any  life  below.  No 


12 


AGITATION'S,  CONSPIRACIES  AND  COMPROMISES. 


one  who  knew  the  people,  it  is  true,  doubted  for  a  moment  the  existence 
of  the   old   dislike    for    English   rule,   the    old    longing   for    a  separate 
national    existence,    on    the  part    of  the  great   majority   of   the  people. 
But,  for  the  moment,  it  did   not  show  itself  in  public  acts.  Whatever 
of  activity  there  was,  consisted  of  quiet,  steady  work  and  organization, 
with  a  view  to  the  future,  rather  than  a  lively  interest  in  the  events  of 
the  day  or  a  hope  of  any  immediate  results.     A  period   of  unwonted 
calm  had  set  in  after  the  partial  collapse  of  the  Fenian  movement,  and 
Isaac  Butt's  weak  and  half-hearted  Home  Rule  agitation   had  fallen  flat. 
Started  immediately  after  the   Disestablishment  of  the    Irish  Protestant 
Church,  it  for  a  time  attracted  a  few  dozen   Conservatives,  angry  with 
England  for  depriving  them,  more  in  appearance  than   reality,  of  their 
old  ascendency  ;    but  the  advent  to  power  of  a  Tory  Cabinet  brought 
them  back  to  the  old  flag,  and  they  have  ever  since   remained   on  the 
side  of  the  English  connection.      Butt's   ill-defined  and  cumbrous  plan, 
which  he  called   Federalism,  but  which  had  nothing  in  it  to  justify  the 
title,  had  no  charms  for  the  people;  and,  although,  for  the  time,  the  most 
popular  man  in   Ireland,   he   failed  to  make  his   organization   strike  its 
roots  in  the  country.    It  died  with  its  founder.    The  Irish  people  have 
never  liked  compromise  movements,  and  it  is  probable  they  never  will. 
Their  ideal,  which  has   been  handed  down  with    singular  fidelity  from 
generation  to  generation  for  many  centuries,  is  absolute   independence  ; 
and    the   great    majority  of   those  who  cannot  see   any  chance  of  the 
proximate  realization  of  that  solution  of  the  national  problem,  prefer  to 
look  for  some  temporary  good  from  the  foreign  government  rather  than 
lower  the  national  demand.    The  only  serious  compromise  ever  proposed 
was  Repeal  of  the  Union  ;  and  that,  it  must  never  be  forgotten,  includes 
the  independence  of  the   Irish   Parliament.     No  man  who  has  had  an 
opportunity  of  conversing  with  old  Repealers  among  the  peasantry  could 
fail  to  note   the  strong  preference  they  entertain  for  Separation,  and  the 
almost  religious  reverence  for  the  memory  of  the  United  Irishmen,  who 
were   all   Separatists   and   Republicans.     Since   1782,   when   the  modern 
school  of  Irish  Nationalism  was  founded,  revolutionary  attempts  aiming  at 
separation  and  agitations  for  redress  of  minor  or  class  grievances  have 
succeeded  one  another  with  unerring  regularity,  the  only  exception  being 
the  Repeal   movement — and  Repeal  is  Separation  in    a    modified  form. 


SIR  CHARLES  GAVAN  DUFFY. 


A  GLANCE  BACK  TO  'EIGHTY-TWO.  13 

When  the  people  think  of  self-government  they  think  of"  complete  Na- 
tional Independence  ;  and  when  defeat  or  disappointment  shatters  their 
hopes,  their  attention  is  turned  to  their  personal  or  class  interests,  and 
then  Catholic  Associations,  Anti-Tithe  movements  or  Tenant  Leagues  are 
the  result. 

Glancing  back  over  the  last  hundred  years,  we  find  nine  great  move- 
ments among  the  Irish  people  looking  to  the  political  or  social  ameliora- 
tion of  their  condition,  viz.:  the  Volunteers  of  1782;  the  United 
Irishmen;  the  agitation  for  Catholic  Emancipation;  the  Anti-Tithe 
War;  the  Repeal  Agitation;  the  Irish  Confederation,  or  Young  Ireland 
Movement;  the  Tenant  League;  the  Irish  Revolutionary  Brotherhood, 
generally  called  Fenianism  ;  and  the  Land  League.  Of  these  nine 
movements,  five  were  for  National  Independence  in  a  more  or  less 
absolute  form,  and  four  for  the  redress  at  the  hands  of  the  British 
Parliament  of  grievances  affecting  the  majority  of  the  population. 
In  all  cases  the  demand  for  the  lesser  thino-  followed   an  unsuccessful 

O 

effort  to  secure  the  greater.  A  knowledge  of  all  these  movements 
is  necessary  to  a  thorough  understanding  of  the  condition  of  Ireland  at 
the  present  time. 

The  first  of  these,  that  of  the  Volunteers,  was  very  remarkable, 
and  has  left  a  lasting  impression  on  the  political  feelings  and  the 
intellect  of  the  Irish  people  ever  since.  The  great  majority  of  the 
population,  the  Catholic  masses  who  inherited  the  hopes  and  aspira- 
tions, the  loves  and  the  hatreds  as  well  as  the  religion,  of  the  old 
race,  were  at  that  period  sunk  in  poverty  and  enforced  ignorance. 
The  dark  night  of  the  Penal  Laws  had  left  its  mark  upon  them,  and 
they  were  utterly  without  political  life.  There  was  no  cohesion,  no 
leadership,  no  common  ground  of  action  among  them,  except  a  sense 
of  intolerable  wrong.  With  few  exceptions  the  only  educated  men 
among  them  were  the  priests  who  had  been  brought  up  in  foreign  semi- 
naries. The  whole  educated  class — the  descendants  of  the  old  chieftains, 
who  included  all  the  trained  intellect  of  the  race  at  that  time — had  been 
swept  away  at  Limerick  ;  and  the  spirit  and  manhood  and  enterprise  that 
from  time  to  time  had  grown  up  among  the  people  during  the  Penal 
times,  had  sought  a  field  for  its  energies,  and,  in  very  many  instances, 
won  distinction,  in   France  and  Spain  and  Austria.     This  constant  drain 


14 


THROUGH  THE  NIGHT  OF  THE  PENAL  LAWS. 


on  the  intellect  of  the  race  produced  a  very  marked  effect.  Robbed  of 
their  land,  deprived  of  every  opportunity  of  educating  their  children,  shut 
out  from  every  avenue  of  advancement  in  professional  and  commercial 
life,  deprived  of  all  voice  in  the  public  affairs  of  the  country,  they  had 
lost  everything  but  the  quick  natural  intelligence  and  the  physical  cour- 
age which  have  characterized  the  race  in  all  ages.  They  had  also  pre- 
served another  quality — the  result,  probably,  of  the  two  just  mentioned — 
which,  perhaps,  has  had  a  greater  effect  in  enabling  them  to  live  through 
their  misfortunes — the  faculty  of  absorbing  and  assimilating  foreign  races 
settled  among  them.  This  has  been  a  characteristic  of  the  Celts  in  all 
ages  and  all  climes.  A  by  no  means  inconsiderable  proportion  of  the 
Catholic  peasantry  of  Ireland  to-day  are  unquestionably  descended  from 
the  soldiers  of  Cromwell  and  of  William  III.,  who  were  planted  among 
them  to  hold  the  country  for  England,  and  men  with  unmistakable 
English  names  constantly  figure  in  anti-English  movements  of  all  kinds. 
But  those  who  were  thus  absorbed  during  the  Penal  days  were  naturally 
victims  of  the  disadvantages  which  affected  the  old  race  and  the  only- 
immediate  consequence  was  the  alteration  in  the  numbers  of  the  friends 
and  the  foes  of  the  British  Government.  The  land,  the  trade  and 
manufactures,  the  professions,  the  magistracy,  the  administration — the 
whole  wealth,  power  and  education  of  the  country,  were  in  the  hands 
of  a  foreign  colony,  partly  English,  partly  Scotch,  but  recruited  some- 
what by  accessions  from  the  old  race,  and  beginning,  almost  unknown  to 
itself,  to  assume  an  Irish  character. 

Perhaps  no  such  spectacle  has  ever  been  presented  in  any  country, 
and  certainly  not  in  modern  times,  as  that  afforded  by  Ireland  during 
the  last  two  centuries;  and  it  is  in  this  respect  the  Irish  question  differs 
from  the  Polish,  the  Hungarian,  the  Italian  and  other  national  ques- 
tions of  recent  years.  The  mass  of  the  people  were  of  one  race,  one 
religion,  and  clung  with  stubborn  tenacity  to  their  own  ideas  of  govern- 
ment, of  law  and,  above  all,  the  tenure  of  land.  The  aristocracy,  the 
land-owning  class,  the  commercial  and  professional  classes,  were  all  of 
foreign  origin,  regarded  themselves  as  a  foreign  garrison,  and  were  sus- 
tained in  their  ascendency  only  by  the  military  force  of  a  powerful 
empire.  They  monopolized  all  the  education  in  the  country  and  rigidly 
excluded  the  majority  from  any  of  its  benefits.    The  contest  was  unequal 


THE  DAWNING  OF  NATIONAL  LIFE. 


>5 


— poverty  and  ignorance  on  the  one  side  ;  wealth,  education  and  foreign 
support  on  the  other — and  the  gradual  uprising  of  this  old  race  from 
its  position  of  degradation,  its  self-emancipation  from  the  intellectual, 
moral  and  physical  shackles  imposed  upon  it,  is  one  of  the  most  instruc- 
tive spectacles  of  modern  times.  No  stronger  evidence  of  the  tenacity 
of  racial  characteristics  and  racial  genius  can  be  produced  than  is 
afforded  by  a  careful  study  of  the  history  of  Ireland  during  the  last  three 
centuries. 

Ireland,  so  situated,  so  divided,  so  politically  prostrated,  awoke  in 
1782,  after  a  troubled  sleep  of  a  century,  began  to  know  herself,  and 
commenced  that  long  and  painful  progress  upward  to  nationhood  which 
is  yet  going  on,  and  the  end  of  which  the  Irishmen  of  the  present 
generation  think  they  see  clearly  before  them.  And  it  was  the  boom  of 
American  cannon  which  sent  the  first  thrill  of  life  to  her  heart  ;  it  was 
the  fires  lighted  at  Lexington  and  Bunker  Hill  from  which  the  flame  of 
liberty  that  has  since  sent  its  fierce  glare  through  the  land,  received  the 
spark  which  ignited  it. 

Although  Ireland  had  at  this  period  a  nominal  Parliament,  it  had  no 
real  power.  Representing  the  English  colony  alone,  it  was  unable  to 
guard  the  industries  of  the  country — the  exclusive  property  of  that  col- 
ony— from  the  effects  of  Imperial  legislation  aiming  at  their  destruc- 
tion. Although  obliged  to  contribute  to  the  support  of  the  Imperial 
army,  Ireland  was  at  the  mercy  of  any  foreign  enemy  that  might  appear 
on  her  coasts.  The  strain  of  the  American  Revolution  had  crippled  the 
military  resources  of  England  and  the  country  was  almost  denuded  of 
troops.  The  people  were  disarmed,  unorganized,  and  the  executive  utterly 
helpless,  when  the  arrival  of  a  French  fleet  on  the  northeastern  coast 
spread  consternation  and  dismay  in  England  and  in  the  English  colony  in 
Ireland.  Had  Ireland  been  then  as  she  has  been  many  times  in  recent 
years,  the  Irish  question  would  have  been  settled  in  a  campaign  of  a  few 
short  weeks,  and  the  miseries  that  have  since  afflicted  the  country  and 
drained  it  of  the  flower  of  its  population  would  have  had  no  existence. 
If  she  were  then  as  shew  as  from  1879  to  IS82,  the  absence  of  the  Eng- 
glish  troops  would  have  sufficed  without  the  advent  of  an  invading  force. 
As  it  was,  the  great  majority  of  the  people  would  have  welcomed  the 
French  with  open  arms,  had  they  landed,  and  considered  any  change  as 


1 6 


EFFECT  OF  THE  VOLUNTEER  CONVENTIONS. 


a  blessing.  But,  without  organization,  arms  or  leaders,  and  sunk  in 
hopeless  ignorance,  they  could  do  nothing  but  look  listlessly  on,  hoping 
for  the  best. 

The  Protestant  colonists  sprang  to  arms,  and,  for  the  first  time  in 
their  history,  began  to  think,  and  feel  and  act  as  Irishmen.  It  was  the 
dawning  of  a  new  era  for  Ireland.  The  danger  of  invasion  being  past, 
the  military  organization  was  preserved,  and  the  people  given  the  habit  of 
coming  together.  A  new  focus  of  public  life  was  created,  discussion  of 
public  affairs  naturally  followed,  and  discussion  soon  convinced  thousands 
of  young  Irish  Protestants,  of  English  and  Scotch  descent,  that  Ireland 
had  interests  totally  distinct  from  those  of  England,  and  that  the  peo- 
ple of  Ireland  alone  were  competent  to  take  care  of  them.  A  sense  of 
the  danger  they  had  escaped  opened  the  eyes  of  many  to  the  folly  of 
persecuting  the  Catholics,  and  more  cordial  relations  began  to  be  culti- 
vated between  the  hitherto  warring  sects.  The  meeting  of  a  convention 
of  the  Volunteers  was  the  introduction  of  a  powerful  political  weapon 
into  a  country  unused  to  liberty  and  unfamiliar  with  the  methods  of 
popular  politics.  In  a  few  short  months  Ireland  leaped  from  the  most 
backward  and  unprogressive  position  in  Europe,  to  the  first  rank  of 
democracy ;  and,  in  spite  of  unparalleled  calamities  and  a  terrible  succession 
of  misfortunes,  she  has  ever  since  preserved  the  impulse  then  given.  She 
began  then  an  amalgamation  of  the  conflicting  races  and  various  political 
forces  within  her  borders  which  has  been  many  times  arrested  and 
impeded  by  English  statesmanship  and  English  influence,  but  which  the 
best  intellects  and  most  devoted  patriotism  in  Ireland  have  continued  to 
cherish  to  the  present  day  as  the  only  hope  of  their  country. 

Demand  after  demand  was  made  on  the  English  Government  and,  as 
the  forces  at  its  disposal  could  not  cope  with  the  armed  Volunteers,  it 
was  obliged  to  yield ;  but  with  the  settled  purpose  of  taking  all  back 
on  the  first  favorable  opportunity.  In  this  way  "Free  Trade" — not  the 
thing  designated  by  the  term  to-day,  but  the  removal  of  restrictions 
and  prohibitions  specially  enacted  for  the  destruction  of  Irish  trade — was 
conceded,  and  the  Independence  of  the  Irish  Parliament  followed. 

The  lesson  drawn  from  these  events  by  the  ablest  intellects  that 
Ireland  has  since  produced  is  that  England,  in  her  hour  of  difficulty  and 
danger,  yielded  to  the  threat,  and  the  presence,  of  physical  force  what 


EIGHTEEN  YEARS  OE  PROGRESS. 


17 


she  had  denied  to  the  most  eloquent  appeals  for  justice.  Thomas  Davis, 
the  Protestant  poet,  and  the  apostle  of  the  modern  school  of  Irish 
National  thought,  puts  the  matter  in  language  that  will  always  appeal  to 
the  Irish  popular  mind,  in  a  few  simple  lines: — 

"  Remember  still,  through  good  and  ill, 
How  vain  were  pray'rs  and  tears  ; 
How  vain  were  words,  'till  flashed  the  swords 
Of  the  Irish  Volunteers  !  " 

And  O'Connell,  who  was  not  a  revolutionist,  but  a  man  of  peace  who 
preached  the  doctrine  that  "  no  amount  of  human  liberty  was  worth  the 
shedding  of  one  drop  of  blood,"  kept  continually  reminding  the  Irish 
people  that  "  England's  difficulty  is  Ireland's  opportunity." 

The  chief  events  of  this  period  are  all  too  well  known  to  need 
recapitulation  here.  They  have  only  been  mentioned  thus  far  so  that 
their  effects  on  the  minds  of  the  people,  and  therefore  on  subsequent 
events,  down  to  our  own  time,  may  be  noted  and  their  significance  under- 
stood. The  political  awakening  of  the  Irish  people  in  1779-82  was 
due  to  the  intellectual  revival  which  preceded  it  by  some  years,  and  the 
oratory  of  Grattan  and  Burke  gave  a  tone  and  inspiration  to  the  political 
thought  of  Ireland  which  have  continued  down  to  the  present  day,  even 
when  those  affected  by  it  are  partizans  of  the  English  connection.  The 
habit  of  discussing  the  affairs  of  the  country,  acquired  in  the  Volunteer 
Conventions,  developed  ideas  of  liberality  and  produced  the  effort  to  raise 
the  Catholics  to  a  position  of  equality  with  the  Protestant  Colony,  and 
the  students  of  the  University — the  future  leaders  of  thought  in  the 
country — began  to  be  affected  by  it.  The  corrupt  and  venal  Parliament 
even  felt  the  contagion,  and,  for  a  time,  under  the  spell  of  Grattan's  elo- 
quence, became  in  a  sense  patriotic.  It  at  least  looked  after  the  com- 
mercial interests  of  the  country,  and  the  unexampled  prosperity  Ireland 
enjoyed  during  the  eighteen  years  of  its  existence  has  given  a  prolific 
theme  to  the  partizan  of  Repeal  or  Separation  ever  since.  Had  it 
emancipated  the  Catholics,  it  would,  have  become  a  body  really  repre- 
senting the  nation;  and  the  Irish  people  would  have  had  the  means  of 
working  out  their  own  regeneration,  and  obliterating  the  effects  of  six 
centuries  of  incessant  struggle  and  of  foreign  domination. 

The  failure  to  emancipate  the   Catholics  made  the  Union  possible, 
c 


i8 


THE  UNITED  IRISHMEN. 


and  drove  the  more  liberal  and  generous  of  the  Protestants  into  a  con- 
spiracy to  sever  the  connection  with  England  entirely  and  establish  an 
Irish  Republic.  It  was  the  first  serious  attempt  to  fuse  the  various  ele- 
ments of  the  Irish  people  into  one  homogeneous  whole,  to  break  down 
sectarian  barriers,  and  to  raise  for  all  a  common  ideal  of  an  Irish  Nation, 
where  all  men  should  stand  on  a  footing  of  equality.  A  few  thousand 
Catholics  had  been  admitted  into  the  Volunteers ;  but  the  first  place 
where  Catholics,  Protestants  and  Dissenters  ever  met,  on  an  equal 
footing  in  large  numbers,  was  in  the  lodges  of  the  United  Irishmen. 
Started  by  Protestants,  whose  intellectual  eminence  would  have  made 
them,  with  Grattan  and  a  few  others,  the  leaders  of  the  country,  had 
not  the  Parliamentary  system  introduced  from  England  been  a  sink  of 
corruption,  that  organization  was  led  by  them  to  its  close,  and  large 
masses  of  Protestants  in  the  North  flocked  to  its  ranks.  The  Presby- 
terians, in  particular,  coming,  as  most  of  them  did,  of  a  kindred  Gaelic 
race,  having  suffered  persecution  for  conscience  sake,  and  felt  the  iron 
grip  of  the  foreign  landlord  almost  equally  with  their  Catholic  neighbors, 
coalesced  more  easily  with  them  and  formed  the  flower  of  the  United 
Irishmen  in  Ulster.  The  names  of  McCracken,  Munroe,  Orr,  and 
Porter — the  latter  a  Presbyterian  minister — are  cherished  as  fondly  by 
the  disaffected  Catholic  to-day  as  those  of  his  own  creed  and  race  ;  while 
there  is  hardly  a  Catholic  "  martyr  "  held  in  such  reverence  as  Tone, 
Emmet,  and  Lord  .  Edward  Fitzgerald,  who  were  all  Episcopalian  Protes- 
tants. Among  the  leaders,  in  fact,  there  were  only  two  men  of  any 
prominence  with  distinctively  Irish  names — Arthur  O'Connor  and  John 
Keogh,  the  latter  only  being  a  Catholic — so  completely  had  the  intellect 
of  the  old  race  been  dwarfed  by  the  fiendish  system  of  excluding  the 
light  of  knowledge  ;  a  system  introduced  by  English  statesmen  who  are, 
even  to-day,  regarded  by  their  countrymen  and  by  a  large  portion  of  the 
outside  world,  as  champions  of  human  liberty. 

The  contagion  of  the  French  Revolution  spread  into  Ireland,  and 
many  of  the  leaders  of  the  United  Irishmen  were  imbued  with  its  prin- 
ciples. Lord  Edward  Fitzgerald,  the  son  of  the  Duke  of  Leinster — 
coming  of  the  proudest  and  most  powerful  of  the  Anglo-Norman  families 
settled  in  Ireland — publicly  renounced  his  title  in  Paris,  and  Arthur 
O'Connor,  with  the  blood  of  Irish  chiefs  for  countless  generations  in  his 


POLITICAL  AND  SOCIAL  REGENERATION. 


*9 


veins,  was  a  democrat  of  the  most  extreme  type.  The  memory  of  the 
old  tribal  system  of  land  tenure  had  always  survived  in  Ireland,  and  the 
stimulus  received  from  France  and  America  naturally  brought  the 
enrolled  peasant  to  think  of  the  lot  that  awaited  him  under  the  Republic 
which  he  hoped  to  see  established.  That  he  would  allow  the  land 
system  to  remain  as  !t  was,  if  success  crowned  his  efforts,  was  out  of 
the  question,  and  the  very  first  thing  he  might  be  expected  to  demand 
would  be  the  confiscation  of  the  estates  of  those  who  had  fought  or 
worked  on  the  side  of  England,  and  of  those  who  were  English.  As  the 
great  majority  of  the  land  owners  were  of  this  class,  the  leaders  of  a 
successful  revolution  would  have  naturally  imitated  the  example  of  the 
French  in  regard  to  the  emigrant  nobles,  and  sold  their  estates  for  the 
payment  of  war  debts.  A  complete  social  revolution  must,  therefore, 
have  followed  a  successful  political  revolution,  and  the  Irish  Land  Ques- 
tion would  have  been  settled  in  accordance  with  the  ideas  and  interests 
of  the  Irish  people,  and  under  the  leadership  of  the  highest  intellect  and 
purest  patriotism  the  country  has  ever  produced.  This  character  the 
leaders  of  the  United  Irishmen  unquestionably  deserved. 

But  treachery  followed  the  United  Irishmen  at  every  step,  and  the 
hopes  of  the  people  were  drowned  in  the  blood  of  fifty  thousand  slaugh- 
tered men.  The  Union  followed,  and  a  period  of  gloom  and  despond- 
ency, broken  only  for  a  moment  by  the  desperate  attempt  of  Robert 
Emmet,  set  in.  But  the  seed  sown  during  the  eighteen  years  that 
preceded  the  Union  had  sunk  deep  into  a  fertile  soil,  and  was  destined 
yet  to  bear  fruit. 

That  the  intention  of  the  United  Irishmen  was  to  confiscate  the 
property  of  all  who  took  the  side  of  England  during  the  struggle,  there 
can  be  no  doubt  ;  but,  if  the  leaders  had  any  qualms  of  conscience  on 
the  subject,  the  people  had  none,  and  never  had  any.  Independent  of 
the  natural  objection  of  one  race  to  be  ruled  by  another,  and  of  the  sen- 
timent of  nationality,  which  is  peculiarly  strong  in  the  Irish  race,  the 
agricultural  classes  of  Ireland  have,  ever  since  the  consummation  of  the 
conquest,  had  the  strongest  possible  reasons  for  wishing  to  rid  them- 
selves of  an  intolerable  land  system.  The  primitive  tribal  system  had 
survived  longer  among  them  than  in  the  case  of  any  other  people, 
except  their  kinsmen,  the  Scottish  Highlanders,  and  with  less  admixture 


20 


FOR  LAND  AND  LIBERTY. 


of  feudalism  than  with  the  latter.  The  methods  of  its  abolition  were 
fresh  in  the  popular  memory  ;  not,  as  with  the  rural  classes  of  the  con- 
tinent, blotted  out  by  ages  of  serfdom  and  ignorance.  The  ignorance  of 
the  Irish  dated  only  from  the  introduction  of  England's  Penal  Code. 
Tradition  with  them  was  peculiarly  strong  and  singularly  accurate. 
They  remembered  the  pedigree  of  all  the  neighboring  landlords,  and 
could  tell  the  particular  foreign  intruder  from  whom  each  was  descended. 
The  humble  occupation  of  the  man  who  had  fought  his  way  to  rank  in 
Cromwell's  army,  or  whose  adroitness  at  manufacturing  evidence  or  false 
swearing  had  procured  him  an  estate,  were  not  forgotten  when  the  pre- 
tensions to  "  aristocratic  blood "  of  "  the  man  at  the  bier  house "  were 
discussed  at  the  cabin  fireside,  and  the  last  occupier  who  had  held  of 
the  clan  could  be  in  many  cases  named. 

The  strufjcrle  with  the  English  invaders  had  been  as  much  a  ficrht 
for  land  as  for  political  supremacy,  and,  therefore,  every  uprising  of  the 
people  after  the  conquest  partook  largely  of  an  agrarian  character.  The 
hope  of  driving  back  to  England,  or  to  perdition,  the  foreigner  who 
played  the  rural  tyrant  and  made  their  lives  miserable,  had  as  much  to 
do  with  stimulating  the  Irish  farmer  and  agricultural  laborer  to  partici- 
pation in  revolutionary  conspiracies,  as  any  idea  of  the  benefits  to  be 
derived  from  National  Self-Government.  No  man  born  and  brought  up 
among  the  poorer  agricultural  class  in  Ireland,  or  who  has  had  much 
personal  intercourse  with  them,  can  have  any  doubt  on  this  point.  The 
writer,  who  comes  of  that  class,  and  from  a  district  that  performed  its 
share  in  the  rebellion  of  '98,  has  had  frequent  opportunity  of  con- 
versing with  many  survivors  of  that  troubled  period,  and  hearing  from 
their  own  lips  of  the  hopes  they  cherished  of  ridding  the  country  forever 
of  the  "  cursed  foreign  landlords."  Many  a  tale  has  he  heard  of  pitch- 
capping  and  gibbeting  at  the  bidding  of  the  local  landlords,  in  command 
of  yeomanry  corps,  for  reported  threats  about  dividing  up  neighboring 
estates.  The  landlords  have  always  accused  the  people  of  entertaining 
such  intentions ;  it  is  their  constant  fear — and  the  landlords  know  the 
people  as  well  as  the  people  know  the  landlords. 

Many  of  the  leaders  in  more  recent  Irish  National  efforts  have  not 
cherished  such  projects,  and  would  have  conscientious  scruples  about  car- 
rying them   out  ;    but,  in  the  event  of  success,  they  would  have  been 


THE  ANTI-TITHE  WAR  AND  ITS  MEANING. 


2  I 


pushed  aside  to  make  room  for  men  more  in  harmony  with  the  popular 
will.  But  the  great  majority  of  the  leaders  of  these  movements  were 
men  of  advanced  ideas  on  the  Land  Question  ;  and  the  uncompromising 
hostility  of  the  landlords,  as  a  class,  to  every  National  effort  would 
have,  of  itself,  provoked  measures  of  retaliation  and  confiscation.  If,  by 
a  miracle,  a  remnant  of  landlordism  should  survive  an  Irish  Revolution, 
subsequent  legislation  by  a  democratic  National  Assembly  would  obliterate 
every  vestige  of  a  system  which  has  inflicted  such  miseries  on  the 
country 

The  '98  movement  gave  this  anti-landlord  spirit  a  considerable  im- 
petus, and  the  Anti-Tithe  war  was  one  of  the  consequences.  It  is  a 
great  mistake  to  regard  that  movement  as  simply  a  sectarian  one.  It 
was  as  much  agrarian  as  sectarian,  and  its  national  bearings  were  by  no 
means  unimportant.  Augustin  Thierry,  who  had  a  wonderful  faculty  for 
grasping  the  true  spirit  of  Irish  history,  remarks,  in  his  great  work  on 
the  Norman  Conquest,  that  the  Reformation  was  resisted  in  Ireland 
mainly  for  the  reason  that  it  was  English  —  because  an  attempt  was 
made  by  a  hated  foreign  enemy  to  force  it  down  their  throats.  The 
parson  was  always  regarded  by  the  Irish  peasant  as  an  Englishman,  an 
official  of  the  English  Government,  his  religion  was  treated  as  an  English 
intrusion  and  the  tithes  as  a  tribute  levied  by  a  foreign  enemy.  The 
exactions  of  the  system  were  of  a  most  harassing  and  vexatious  nature, 
inflicting  enormous  hardship  and  annoyance,  and  keeping  constantly  before 
his  eyes  in  a  clear  and  tangible  shape,  the  loss  of  a  large  proportion  of 
the  fruits  of  his  hard  labor.  It  appealed  to  his  national  feeling,  by 
reminding  him  that  the  system  was  sustained  by  foreign  bayonets  alone, 
and  that  if  Ireland  had  a  native  government  the  nuisance  would  be  abol- 
ished at  once.  And  if  at  any  time  the  opportunity  had  offered  and  the 
people  had  arms  enough  to  warrant  the  attempt,  the  provocations  of  the 
tithe-collecting  would  have  been  stimulus  enough  for  an  insurrection  that 
would  aim  to  abolish  all  other  English  institutions,  as  well  as  tithes.  The 
National  question  is  never  absent  from  an  Irish  agitation,  no  matter  what 
its  immediate  object. 

It  is  not  intended  here  to  go  minutely  into  the  events  of  the  Anti- 
Tithe  war.  It  is  enough  to  say  that  it  practically  existed  from  the  fall 
of  Limerick  and  either  smouldered,  or  took  a  more  or  less  violent  form, 


22 


CATHOLIC  EMANCIPATION  AND  THE  LAND  WAR. 


according  to  various  circumstances.  It  went,  to  a  great  extent,  hand  in 
hand  with  the  Emancipation  agitation,  and  must  not  be  judged  exclu- 
sively by  the  events  immediately  preceding  O'Connell's  unfortunate 
compromise  which  allowed  the  tithes  to  be  converted  into  a  rent  charge, 
collected  in  cash  by  the  landlord.  This  added  another  to  the  many 
grievances  laid  at  the  door  of  the  landlord,  and  since  the  Disestablishment 
of  the  Protestant  Church  the  feeling  has  been  intensified  by  the  fact  that 
rents  were  not  reduced  by  the  amount  formerly  paid  to  the  parson. 

The  Emancipation  struggle,  up  to  the  Clare  election,  had  less  direct 
connection  with  the  Land  Question  than  any  movement  which  had  taken 
place  in  Ireland  since  the  English  invasion,  except  in  the  fact  that  the 
landlords  were  the  leaders  of  the  opposition  and  the  farmers  the  chief 
supporters  of  the  agitation.  It  was  mainly  an  effort  on  the  part  of  the 
Catholic  middle  classes  to  open  for  themselves,  without  any  change  of 
Government,  avenues  of  advancement  which  were  then  closed  to  them. 
The  Catholic  Relief  Act,  while  its  good  moral  effect  on  the  people  can- 
not be  doubted,  has  also  had  the  effect  of  enabling  Catholic  lawyers  and 
needy  country  squires,  who  profess  a  very  fervid  patriotism  at  the  hust- 
ings, to  climb  to  place  and  power  by  servile  obedience  to  ministerial 
wishes  in  the  House  of  Commons,  and  has  given  the  rebels  of  later  times 
the  privilege  of  being  found  guilty  through  the  efforts  of  Catholic  Crown 
Counsel,  and  sentenced  to  the  old  punishments  by  Catholic  judges.  It 
has  bribed  the  Catholic  educated  classes  to  separate  themselves  from 
their  less  fortunate  co-religionists,  and  forced  the  latter  to  look  for  their 
leaders  from  among  their  own  ranks.  But  its  most  important  effect  was 
in  the  disfranchisement  of  the  Forty  Shilling  Freeholders — the  very  men 
who  had  sent  O'Connell  to  Parliament.  The  influence  of  this  act  on 
the  status  of  the  Land  Question  was  enormous,  and  it  was  felt  fifty  years 
later  as  much  as  immediately  after  its  passage. 

While  the  Irish  Parliament  was  in  existence,  the  landlord  with  politi- 
cal ambition  was  tempted  to  multiply  the  number  of  small  holdings  on 
his  estate,  and  to  cultivate  friendly  relations  with  his  tenants,  so  as  to 
increase  his  influence.  After  the  Union,  as  the  number  of  Members  of 
Parliament  was  reduced — those  from  agricultural  constituencies  being  only 
sixty-four — this  stimulus  to  the  preservation  of  good  relations  was  con- 
siderably lessened,  and  with  the  abolition  of  the  Forty  Shilling  Freehold 


LOSS  OF  THE  FORTY  SHILLING  FREEHOLDERS. 


23 


franchise  it  disappeared  altogether.  Evictions  and  rack-rents  had  been 
common  enough  before  ;  but  since  then,  they  have  been  carried  out  on 
such  a  scale  as  to  drive  out  of  Ireland  the  flower  of  the  population,  so 
that  at  last  Ireland  presented  a  spectacle  never  before  witnessed,  viz., 
that  of  having  within  her  borders  scarcely  a  third  of  her  living  people. 

The  system  of  failing  to  renew  leases  on  their  expiration,  also 
received  great  encouragement  from  this  source,  the  feeling  of  insecurity 
was  increased,  and  an  immense  number  of  men  evicted  from  small  hold- 
ings and  too  poor  to  emigrate,  were  yearly  thrown  on  the  labor  market. 
Then,  confining-  the  franchise  to  a  few  thousand  men,  over  the  great 
majority  of  whom  the  landlord's  lash  was  constantly  held,  had  a  fearful 
tendency  to  demoralize  the  public  life  of  the  country,  and  to  develop  a 
spirit  of  slavish  servility  among  the  voters.  With  the  increased  intelli- 
gence among  the  people,  brought  about  by  the  National  and  Christian 
Brothers'  school,  and  by  recent  political  events,  a  restoration  of  the 
franchise  to  its  old  standard  would  simply  revolutionize  the  Parlia- 
mentary representation  of  Ireland,  and  bring  to  the  front  a  class  of 
Members,  who,  if  they  could  do  nothing  in  the  English  House  of  Com- 
mons, would  at  least  give  voice  to  the  opinions  of  the  vast  majority 
of  the  people. 

During  the  Repeal  movement  the  Land  Question  began  to  be  intelli- 
gently discussed,  and  the  brilliant  writers  of  the  Nation  devoted  much  of 
their  attention  to  it.  John  B.  Dillon,  one  of  the  founders  of  that  journal, 
and  father  of  John  Dillon,  the  famous  Land  League  leader,  was,  accord- 
ing to  Sir  Charles  Gavan  Duffy,  more  affected  by  the  social  misery  caused 
by  English  misgovernment  than  by  any  purely  sentimental  idea  of  nation- 
ality, and  his  views  had  considerable  weight  with  his  colleagues.  Born 
and  brought  up  in  the  west  of  Ireland,  where  landlordism  had  reduced  the 
people  to  a  condition  of  appalling  misery  and  degradation,  his  heart  bled 
at  the  sights  he  saw  around  him,  and  he  determined  to  make  an  effort  to 
mitigate  the  suffering,  if  he  could  not  remove  the  cause  of  it.  He  was 
the  first  man  who  brought  the  Land  Question  forward  in  a  clear  and 
definite  shape,  and  gave  it  a  foremost  place  in  Irish  National  politics. 
The  wrongs  of  the  tenants  were  exposed,  and  a  glare  of  public  opinion 
was  directed  on  the  doings  of  the  landlords  to  which  they  had  not  been 
accustomed.     The  people  were  told  their  rights  in  plain  but  eloquent 


2  4 


TEACHINGS  AND  INFLUENCE  OF  THE  "NATION." 


language,  and  the  happier  lot  of  the  agricultural  classes  in  France  and 
Prussia  was  pictured  in  a  manner  calculated  to  stimulate  the  ambition  of 
the  same  classes  in  Ireland.  The  farmers  were  taught  to  look  forward 
to  the  acquisition  of  Self-Government  as  the  sure  and  certain  means  of 
regaining  their  own  rights,  and  the  establishment  of  Repeal  reading- 
rooms  was  the  first  step  toward  popular  organization.  These  were  not 
confined  to  the  larger  towns,  and,  in  those  where  the  farming  element 
was  well  represented,  as  was  the  case  with  many,  the  articles  on  the  Land 
Question  were  publicly  read,  and  the  doings  of  the  neighboring  landlords 
discussed.  It  was  the  introduction  of  a  more  healthy  political  life  than 
had  been  seen  in  Ireland  since  the  days  of  the  Volunteers  ;  and,  but  for 
the  dreadful  famine  which  followed,  and  enabled  the  English  Government 
and  the  Anglo-Irish  landlords  to  shatter  the  people's  hopes,  and  send 
two  millions  of  the  race  to  paupers'  graves  or  the  emigrant  ship,  the 
result  must  have  been  of  incalculable  benefit  to  Ireland. 

A  newspaper  went  a  long  way  at  that  time  in  Ireland,  and  the 
influence  of  the  ATatioii  was  by  no  means  to  be  measured  by  its  actual 
circulation.  In  fact,  a  paper  with  ten  times  its  circulation  since  then 
would  not  exert  one  tithe  of  its  influence — except,  indeed,  under  circum- 
stances which  are  not  likely  to  exist.  It  gave  tone  to  the  whole  National 
thought  of  the  country,  and  its  influence  was  felt  in  every  corner  of 
the  land.  One  of  the  earliest  recollections  of  the  writer  is  a  scene  in 
a  thatched  cottage,  where  some  twenty  or  thirty  stalwart,  frieze-coated 
men  sat  round  a  turf  fire,  eagerly  listening  while  the  Repeal  Warden 
of  the  district  read  the  paper  from  beginning  to  end  for  their  edifi- 
cation. Probably  not  two  other  copies  came  to  the  parish.  And  this 
was  the  case  from  end  to  end  of  Ireland. 

The  purely  political  portion  of  the  Nations  teachings  has  not  so 
much  connection  with  the  object  of  the  present  sketch,  and  therefore 
its  bearing  on  the  Land  Question  alone  will  be  kept  in  view.  Duffy 
wrote,  in  an  early  number,  an  article  on  "The  Rights  and  Wrongs  of 
Property,"  which,  if  written  in  Ireland  in  1882,  would  have  sent  the 
author  to  Kilmainham  Jail.  Speaking  of  the  oft-quoted  saying  that 
"property  has  its  duties  as  well  as  its  rights,"  he  said: 

"  Let  us  lose  no  more  time  in  vain  attempts  to  explain  obligations 
which  their  blunted  moral  sensibilities  can  no  way  comprehend ;  let  us 


THE  RIGHTS  AND   WRONGS  OF  PROPERTY. 


25 


give  Mr.  Drummond's  overwrought  axiom  a  perpetual  holiday,  and, 
instead  of  weeping  appeals,  which  fall  upon  them  like  dew  upon  a 
desert,  let  us  thunder  in  their  ears  that  we  have  rights  which  we 
understand  and  will  maintain.  Let  us  tell  them  that  this  land  is  ours 
not  less  than  theirs ;  that  it  is  chargeable  with  the  support  of  us,  the 
men  whose  toil  and  sweat  made  it  fertile,  before  all  other  incum- 
brances, whether  rent,  tithes  or  taxes  ;  that  the  feudal  system,  which 
gave  the  life  of  the  serf  to  the  disposal  of  his  lord,  was  not  a  jot  more 
barbarous  or  irrational  than  the  right  they  claim  to  exterminate  their 
tenantry  ;  that  we  see  no  moral  distinction  between  the  edict  of  the 
brutal  baron  that  hung  his  offending  vassal  on  the  next  tree  and  the 
ejectment  of  the  ruffian  landlord,  which  turns  out  his  tenant  to  die  by 
the  wayside  ;  and  that  as  soon  would  we  permit  the  revival  of  the  one 
tyranny  as  the  continuance  of  the  other.  *  *  *  The  day  for  puling 
and  whining  has  gone  by.  We  must  speak  out  like  people  asking 
their  own  and  no  more.  We  must  declare,  in  the  simplest  and  shortest 
terms,  that  the  enormous  prerogative  of  property  and  the  interests  of 
society  are  incompatible,  and  that  the  time  is  when  one  or  the  other 
must  give  way." 

And  Dillon,  in  an  article  on  the  "Prospects  of  England  in  1842," 
writes  :  "  Every  place  is  filled  with  our  enemies,  from  the  judge  to  the 
perjured  spy,  who  is  paid  with  the  people's  money  to  swear  away  the 
people's  lives.  Yet  what  of  these  ?  They  are  but  straws  upon  the  tor- 
rent of  oppression  which  deluges  this  land  and  covers  its  disfigured 
aspect  with  unseemly  ruin.  Look  upon  our  fertile  fields  and  ask — did 
that  God,  who  created  them  so  fair,  curse  them  from  the  besfinnine,  and 

9  9  o  o 7 

doom  them  to  be  forever  the  abode  of  hunger,  and  misery  and  despair  ?" 
And  again,  a  little  later  on,  he  wrote  an  article  on  "  Aristocratic  Institu- 
tions," in  which  the  following  striking  contrast  occurs  :  "  Let  us,  in  the 
first  place,  observe  the  vast  numbers  of  people  who  pass  their  whole 
lives  in  idleness,  serving  the  public  in  no  way,  doing  mischief  or  doing 
nothing — let  us  mark  the  wealth,  the  pomp,  the  pride,  the  magnificence, 
and  boundless  profusion  of  this  idle,  useless  class — let  us  observe  them 
in  possession  of  palaces  and  chariots,  of  wines  and  costly  ornaments,  of 
everything  that  can  minister  to  vanity  or  to  luxury  ;  and  turning  from 
this  vision  of  dazzling  splendor,  let  us  next  observe  the  condition  of  the 


2  6 


YOUNG  IRELAND  AND  THE  LANDLORDS. 


People,  who  produce,  by  their  labor,  the  materials  of  all  this  splendor— 
the  state  of  abject  misery  to  which  they  are  reduced — the  unlimited 
power  which  landlords  and  their  agents  have  over  them — their  unculti 
vated  minds — their  physical  sufferings — their  haggard  looks — their  naked 
children — their  wet  potatoes — their  hovels — their  rags — and  their  beds  of 
straw.  Let  us  contemplate  all  this  without  prejudice,  and  as  if  from  a 
distance,  and  then  put  the  question  :  Were  the  laws  which  have  brought 
this  state  of  things  into  existence  made  for  the  good  of  the  People  f  *  *  * 
Let  us  search  for  the  root  from  which  this  crop  of  misery  has  sprung, 
and  pluck  it  forth  gently,  if  it  will  come — if  not,  why,  tear  it  forth  with 
a  strong  hand."  And  he  answers,  in  plain  English,  that  the  cause  of  all 
this  is  in  the  existence  of  a  landed  aristocracy.  "  Where  this  exists,"  he 
adds,  "  there  is  neither  economy  in  government,  nor  freedom  or  happi- 
ness in  society.  You  may  have  the  forms  of  liberty — you  cannot  have 
the  substance.  Those  who  have  the  land  will  ultimately  have  the 
power." 

Thomas  Davis,  having  vainly  tried  to  nationalize  the  landlords  by 
appeals  to  their  humanity  and  patriotism,  at  length  gave  up  the  task  in 
despair,  and  in  a  little  poem  called  "  A  Scene  in  the  South,"  gave  vent 
to  his  feelings  in  the  following  lines : 

"God  of  Justice,"  I  sighed,  "send  Thy  Spirit  down 
On  these  lords  so  cruel  and  proud, 
And  soften  their  hearts,  and  relax  their  frown — 
Or  else,"  I  cried  aloud, 
"  Vouchsafe  Thy  strength  to  the  peasant's  hand 
To  drive  them  at  length  from  off  the  land." 

From  Davis  to  Mitchel  and  Fintan  Lalor  was  only  a  step,  but  the 
distance  traversed  in  that  step  was  enormous.  It  was  a  natural  develop- 
ment of  the  ideas  enunciated  by  Duffy,  Dillon  and  Davis  in  the  Nation, 
but  the  dreadful  scenes  of  the  famine  of  1847  had  steeled  men's  hearts, 
aroused  their  passions,  and  suggested  swift  and  stern  remedies,  rather 
than  the  slow  process  of  legislative  change.  No  such  awful  example  has 
ever  been  presented  in  human  history,  no  such  striking  and  terrible  con- 
demnation of  a  whole  social  and  governmental  system  has  ever  been 
recorded  as  was  furnished  by  that  sad  and  dismal  epoch.  A  country 
producing  grain  and  beef,  and  other  provisions,  sufficient  to  feed  twice 
as  many  people  as  it  contained  within  its  borders  reduced  to  the  direst 


A  FAMINE  MADE  BY  MEN. 


extremities  of  famine,  with  all  its  attendant  horrors,  by  the  failure  of  the 
potato  crop  alone,  must  have  had  something  more  rotten  in  it  than  that 
crop. 

There  was  no  famine  of  food;  it  was  simply  one  of  money.  If  the 
people  had  retained  for  their  own  use  the  crops  raised  on  their  own 
farms,  instead  of  selling  them  to  pay  rent  to  the  landlords,  they  would 
have  had  enough  to  carry  them  through  the  year,  the  wholesale  evictions 
that  followed  would  have  been  shorn  of  half  their  horrors,  and  no  one 
would  have  died  of  hunger  or  of  typhus.  If  the  excitement  consequent 
on  these  evictions  had  led  to  a  general  insurrection  it  is  impossible  to 
conceive — even  allowing  for  the  people  being  disarmed — how  the  most 
wanton  military  massacres  could  have  resulted  in  a  tithe  of  the  destruc- 
tion of  human  life  caused  by  hunger  and  diseases  generated  by  hun- 
ger, during  that  dreadful  year.  And  it  is  equally  impossible  to  conceive 
how  the  effects  of  stamping  out  rebellion  by  the  most  profuse  expendi- 
ture of  the  people's  blood,  could  have  produced  such  utter  demoralization 
as  that  which  fell  upon  Ireland  in  consequence  of  the  famine  and  the 
exodus  that  followed  it. 

In  no  other  European  country  would  it  be  possible  for  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  people  to  die  the  awful  death  of  starvation  while  its  store- 
houses were  filled  with  human  food,  and  fat  cattle,  and  provisions  were 
daily  exported  by  the  shipload  to  another  land.  The  Government  would 
have  found  a  speedy  remedy,  or  the  people  would  have  risen  and  over- 
turned it.  In  no  other  country  of  Europe  would  the  aristocracy  and 
land-owning  class  have  answered  the  piteous  cry  for  bread  from  a  million 
hungry  throats  by  a  copious  shower  of  ejectment  papers,  and  stifled  the 
moans  of  the  fever-stricken  victims  by  the  levelling  of  the  roof-trees  that 
g&ve  them  shelter.  In  no  other  country  of  modern  Europe  could  thou- 
sands of  emaciated  corpses  be  flung  into  coffinless  graves,  without  such  a 
social  convulsion  as  would  have  destroyed  the  system  which  was  the 
cause  of  the  evil.  But  Ireland  was  ruled  from  a  foreign  land,  and  her 
land-owning  class  were  foreigners  who  hated  the  people  and  spent  most 
of  the  produce  of  the  soil  away  from  her  shores.  The  results  of  foreign 
conquest  and  alien  rule  were  here  vividly  presented  to  the  eyes  of  the 
people  in  one  long  series  of  unparalleled  disasters,  and  the  brightest 
intellects  among  the  popular  leaders  set  to  work  to  teach  the  people  the 


28 


JOHN  MITCHEL  AND  THE  FARMERS. 


lesson  to  be  derived  from  it.  Instead  of  a  peaceful  appeal  for  Repeal 
of  the  Union,  the  policy  of  Mitchel,  Lalor,  Reilly  and  others  of  the 
bolder  spirits  of  the  Young  Ireland  part)'  was  to  strike  down  English 
rule  and  the  English  landlord  system  at  one  blow. 

Dissatisfied  with  the  "moderation"  of  the  Nation,  John  Mitchel 
started  the  United  Irishman,  and  began  at  once  to  prepare  the  mind  of 
the  country  for  the  work  before  it.  He  was  a  writer  of  extraordinary 
vigor,  whose  purity  of  style  forced  the  cultured  to  read  him,  but  whose 
simplicity  and  downright  directness  brought  him  at  once  to  the  hearts  of 
the  people.  "  Land  in  Ireland  is  life,"  he  cried,  in  the  second  number 
of  the  paper,  and  the  keynote  thus  struck  was  continued  until  the 
United  Irishman  was  suppressed  and  its  editor  in  prison. 

"  Land  in  Ireland  is  life.  Just  in  the  proportion  that  our  people 
contrive  to  keep  or  to  gain  some  foothold  on  the  soil,  in  that  pro- 
portion exactly  they  will  live  and  not  die.  All  social,  all  industrial,  all 
national  questions  resolve  themselves  now  into  this— how  many  Irish 
cultivators  can  keep  root  in  the  earth  during  the  present  year — that  so 
the  storm  and  blight,  the  famine  and  the  black  flood  of  pauperism  may 
not  sweep  them  off,  away  into  destruction  and  outer  darkness  ?  Not 
to  the  individual  farmer  only  is  this  a  life-and-death  question,  but  to 
society  and  to  the  nation.  With  the  ruin  of  the  tillers  of  the  soil,  all 
is  ruined ;  in  vain  shall  you  adopt  manufacture  pledges,  hold  meetings 
to  develop  resources,  form  companies,  make  speeches,  insist  upon  national 
rights,  a  national  legislature,  a  national  flag — once  let  the  farmers  be 
swept  off  this  Irish  soil  and  there  is  an  utter  end  of  us  and  of  our  cause. 
*  *  *  Let  the  tillers  of  the  soil  be  once  uprooted — let  the  forest 
be  cleared — and  the  prostrate,  withered  nation  is  fit  for  railway  sleep- 
ers, the  living  forest  is  dead  and  gone,  the  living  nation  is  undone  for- 
ever, and  the  place  that  knew  it  shall  know  it  no  more.  In  one  word, 
land  is  life ;  and  for  the  possession  of  land  there  is  now  a  deadly  strug- 
gle going  on  in  every  part  of  Ireland." 

In  the  following  issue  of  the  paper  he  commenced  a  series  of  "  letters 
to  the  small  farmers  of  Ireland,"  in  which  they  were  told  their  rights  in 
language  they  were  not  accustomed  to  hear,  and  the  identity  of  interests 
between  Northerns  and  Southerns  was  demonstrated  with  peculiar 
force.    A  Northern  Protestant  himself,  and  the  descendant  of  a  Scotch 


THE  DOCTRINE  OE  RESISTANCE. 


29 


Covenanter,  he  appealed  to  the  b'lster  Protestants  as  one  of  themselves, 
and  his  words  carried  a  weight  that  no  Catholic  or  Southern  could  Q-ive 
them.  The  appalling  condition  of  the  country  opened  men's  ears  to  his 
counsels,  and  the  mind  of  Protestant  Ulster  was  beeinnino-  to  be  moved 
as  it  had  never  been  moved  before.  He  appealed  to  the  manhood  and 
pride  of  the  farmers,  scouting  the  idea  that  they  were  a  mere  "  class  of 
the  community." 

"  You  are  the  whole  community  ;  you  support  all  classes,  create  all 
classes  ;  if  you  are  elevated,  they  are  all  elevated — if  you  are  depressed 
they  are  all  ruined  ;  in  you  they  all  live  and  move,  out  of  you  they  grow, 
on  you  they  continually  depend,  and  without  you  they  are  less  than 
nothing.  Yoit  pay  the  wages  of  the  artisan,  the  fees  of  the  lawyer  and 
physician  ;  yott  array  the  soldier  in  his  gilded  hardware,  the  bishop  in  his 
alb  and  sleeves  of  lawn  ;  you  are  the  »spokes  in  the  noble's  chariot  wheel, 
the  jewels  in  the  monarch's  crown  ;  you  could  live  marvelously  well  with- 
out other  classes,  much  better  than  you  do  now,  without  some  of  them  ; 
but  they  could  not  live  without  you  at  all.     "    *  * 

"  First,  there  is  a  simple  calculation  to  be  made  ;  you,  the  men  doomed 
to  destruction,  are  a  million  and  more  ;  they,  the  landlords  of  Ireland, 
who  find  you  to  be  surplus,  and  declare  that  you  and  they  cannot  live 
together  on  this  soil,  are,  we  will  say,  eight  thousand — that  is,  one  well- 
born idler  to  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  working  drudges  nearly.  And 
to  keep  this  well-born  idler  in  the  position  he  "  has  a  right  to  expect," 
the  hundred  and  twenty-five  workers  are  to  perish.  Here  is  strictly  an 
economic  question  (Political  Economy  for  the  millioti);  and  it  may  be 
stated  thus — are  the  eight  thousand  idlers  worth  keeping  at  this  expense  ? 
do  they  pay  ?  or  is  there  any  cheaper  mode  of  keeping  them  ?" 

Mitchel  saw  clearly  that  the  intention  of  the  Government  and  the 
landlords  was  to  get  rid  of  the  people  and  that  all  the  so-called  "relief 
measures"  were  simply  devices  to  keep  them  quiet  while  the  rooting- 
out  process  was  going  on.  He  constantly  advised  the  people  to  arm, 
but,  while  keeping  the  eventuality  of  a  physical  struggle  ever  before, 
.heir  eyes,  recommended  passive  resistance  alone  for  the  time  being. 

"  The  plain  remedy  for  all  this — the  only  way  you  can  save  your, 
selves  alive — is  to  reverse  the  order  of  payment,  to  take  and  keep,  out 
of  the  crops  you  raise,  your  own  subsistence,  and  that  of  your  families 


3° 


APPEALS  TO  THE  NORTHERN  PROTESTANTS. 


and  laborers,  first ;  to  part  with  none  until  you  are  sure  of  your 
own  living — to  combine  with  your  neighbors  that  they  may  do  the  like, 
and  back  you  in  your  determination — and  to  resist,  in  whatever  may  be 
needful,  all  claims  whatever,  legal  or  illegal,  till  your  own  claims  are  satis- 
fied. If  it  needs  all  your  crop  to  keep  you  alive,  you  will  be  justified  in 
refusing  and  resisting  payment  of  any  rent,  tributes,  rates  or  taxes  whatso- 
ever. *  *  *  You  do  not  forget  the  anti-tithe  movement  ;  you  know 
how  to  look  on  with  arms  folded,  while  the  law  takes  its  course.  Let  the 
'law'  execute  itself  in  every  point,  and  develop  all  its  resources;  let  it  lift 
and  carry  the  whole  harvests  of  Ireland  ,  let  the  law  find  cartage ;  let  the 
law  find  storage  ;  let  the  law  find  purchasers,  who  will  dare  to  buy  the 
people's  food ,  and  then,  if  the  roads  should  by  any  chance  happen  to 
have  been  dug  up,  the  low  grounds  flooded,  the  key-stones  plucked  out 
of  bridges — or  other  means  taken  to  stop  the  traffic  called  '  Commerce,' 
which  carries  off  your  food  every  year  to  be  eaten  in  England — why  let 
the  law  mend  the  roads,  rebuild  the  bridges,  drain  the  lands,  and  restore 
the  communications.''  After  telling  them  that  "  clear  steel  will,  ere  long, 
dawn  upon  you  in  your  desolate  darkness  ;  and  the  rolling  thunder  of  the 
people's  cannon  will  drive  before  it  many  a  heavy  cloud  that  has  long 
hidden  you  from  the  face  of  heaven,"  he  wound  up  with  the  significant 
advice :  "  Above  all,  let  the  man  amongst  you  who  has  no  gun,  sell 
his  garment  and  buy  one." 

Then  he  addressed  a  series  of  letters  to  "  the  Protestant  farmers  of 
Ireland,"  pointing  out  the  folly  of  their  distrust  of  the  Catholics,  the 
identity  of  the  interests  of  all  Irish  farmers  and  the  necessity  for  a 
united  effort  to  break  down  landlordism.  The  uses  made  of  the  Orange 
organization  by  the  landlord  "grand  masters"  were  exposed  with  merci- 
less severity,  and  the  loyalty  of  the  Northern  Protestants  he  characterized 
as  simple  hatred  of  the  "  Papists." 

"  I  will  speak  plainly,"  he  said  to  them.  "  There  is  now  growing  on 
the  soil  of  Ireland  a  wealth  of  grain,  and  roots,  and  cattle,  far  more 
than  enough  to  sustain  in  life  and  in  comfort  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
island.  That  wealth  must  not  leave  us  another  year — not  until  every 
grain  of  it  is  fought  for  in  every  stage,  from  the  tying  of  the  sheaf  to  the 
loading  of  the  ship.  And  the  effort  necessary  to  that  single  act  of  self- 
preservation  will  at  one  and  the  same  blow  prostrate   British  dominion 


THE  DISPERSAL  OF  YOUNG  IRELAND. 


31 


and  landlordism  together.  'Tis  but  the  one  act  of  volition  : — if  we 
resolve  but  to  live  we  make  our  country  a  free  and  Sovereign  State. 
Will  yoti  not  gird  up  your  loins  for  this  great  national  struggle,  and 
stand  with  your  countrymen  for  Life  and  Land  ?  Will  you,  the  sons  of 
a  warlike  race,  the  inheritors  of  conquering  memories — with  the  arms  of 
freemen  in  all  your  homes,  and  relics  of  the  gallant  Republicans  of 
'Ninety-eight  forever  before  your  eyes — will  you  stand  folding  your 
hands  in  helpless  'loyalty' — and,  while  every  nation  in  Christendom  is 
seizing  on  its  birth-right  with  armed  hand,  will  you  take  patiently  with 
your  rations  of  yellow  meal  and  your  inevitable  portion  of  eternal  con- 
tempt ? "  This  was  language  which  the  British  Government  could  not 
endure  if  it  hoped  to  preserve  its  authority  in  Ireland,  and  as  he  was 
appealing  in  the  columns  of  the  same  journal  to  the  intellect  and 
national  pride  of  the  country,  the  United  Irishman  was  silenced  by  the 
seizure  of  its  plant  and  the  arrest  of  its  editor. 

John  Mitchel  was  hurried  off  to  a  convict's  cell,  and  in  four  weeks 
after  the  suppression  of  his  paper,  John  Martin,  Thomas  Devin  Reilly 
and  James  Fintan  Lalor,  resumed  in  the  Irish  Felon,  the  work  where 
he  had  been  interrupted.  The  title  was  adopted  in  utter  contempt  of 
the  stigma  sought  to  be  cast  upon  the  popular  chief.  The  same  doc- 
trines were  preached,  and  the  policy  of  the  party  may  be  summed  up  in 
one  extract  from  a  letter  of  Lalor — from  whom,  it  is  generally  admitted, 
Mitchel  received  the  stimulus  which  made  him  write  so  strongly  on  the 
Land  Question — thus  defining  it  : 

"  Not  to  repeal  the  Union,  then,  but  to  repeal  the  conquest — not  to 
disturb  or  to  dismantle  the  empire,  but  to  abolish  it  utterly  forever — not 
to  fall  back  on  '82,  but  act  up  to  '48 — not  to  restore  or  resume  an  old 
constitution,  but  to  found  a  new  nation  and  raise  up  a  free  people,  and 
strong  as  well  as  free,  and  secure  as  well  as  strong,  based  on  a  peasan- 
try rooted  like  rocks  in  the  soil  of  the  land." 

The  Irish  Felon  was  suppressed  after  five  weeks  and  the  Irish  Tribune 
replaced  it,  the  same  doctrines  being  preached  by  Michael  Doheny, 
Richard  Dalton  Williams,  Kevin  Izod  O'Doherty,  Stephen  Joseph 
Meany  and  others.  In  five  weeks  more  it  shared  the  fate  of  its 
predecessors.  The  Nation,  too,  was  suppressed,  most  of  the  leaders  were 
arrested,  and  the  brightest  intellects  of  Ireland  were  sent  to  herd  with 


32  THE  EXODUS  AND  CONSEQUENT  POLITICAL  TORPOR. 

the  worst  malefactors  of  English  society  in  the  penal  settlements  of  Van 
Diemen's  Land.  A  hopeless  attempt  at  insurrection  was  made  in  the 
South  under  the  leadership  of  William  Smith  O'Brien,  Thomas  Francis 
Meagher,  Michael  Doheny,  Terence  Bellew  McManus  and  John  O'Mahony; 
but  the  people  were  without  arms  or  organization,  and  it  ended  in  the 
capture  or  flight  of  the  leaders  and  the  utter  demoralization  of  the 
people.  Disheartened  and  despairing,  the  people  sought  refuge  in  the 
emigrant  ship,  and  the  most  remarkable  exodus  of  modern  history  set  in. 

The  emigration  was  not  confined  to  the  farmers  or  those  immediately 
dependent  on  them  in  the  country  towns.  Thousands  of  the  most  spir- 
ited and  intelligent  of  the  young  men  of  the  cities  and  larger  towns  who 
formed  the  backbone  of  the  Young  Ireland  movement — artisans,  clerks, 
students,  sons  of  merchants  and  professional  men— fled  the  country  in 
despair,  or  disgusted  at  the  bloodless  failure.  Ireland  in  a  few  short 
months  was  not  alone  deprived  of  her  leaders,  but  of  nearly  all  the 
minor  men  of  local  influence  who  formed  the  connecting  links  between 
the  leaders  and  the  people.  All  semblance  of  organization,  all  concert  of 
action,  was  destroyed.  Ireland  might  be  compared  to  an  army  that,  hav- 
ing been  decimated  and  deprived  of  its  generals,  had  also  suffered  the 
loss  of  its  non-commissioned  officers.  All  political  life  was  at  an  end, 
and  a  period  of  utter  stagnation  and  listless  despair  set  in. 

Charles  Gavan  Duffy  and  a  few  of  the  surviving  leaders  of  Young 
Ireland,  recognizing  accomplished  facts,  turned  their  attention  to  the 
Land  Question,  and,  with  the  aid  of  some  well-meaning  men  of  less 
advanced  opinions,  endeavored  to  improve  the  condition  of  the  tenantry 
by  appealing  to  the  English  Parliament  for  some  recognition  of  "  tenant 
right."  The  landlords,  availing  themselves  of  the  departure  of  the  fighting 
element  of  the  country,  were  evicting  and  levelling  homesteads  at  a 
frightfully  rapid  rate,  and  the  population  was  soon  decreased  by  over  two 
millions.  Northern  Protestants  suffered,  as  well  as  their  Catholic  country- 
men in  the  other  provinces,  and  a  sense  of  their  common  danger  at  last 
aroused  them  to  the  necessity  of  united  action.  The  Tenant  League  was 
the  result.  Meetings  were  held  at  which  Catholic  priests  and  Presbyte- 
rian ministers  stood  on  the  same  platform  and,  although  their  demands 
fell  very  far  short  of  their  rights,  the  good  effects  of  union  and  organi- 
zation soon  began  to  tell.    The  spirit  of  the  country  commenced  to  revive 


/ 


THE  TENANT  LEAGUE  AND  ITS  BETRAYAL. 


33 


somewhat,  and  at  the  general  election  of  1852  a  majority  of  the  Irish 
Members  were  pledged  to  "tenant  right"  and  "independent  opposition." 
Ireland  was  again  induced  to  put  her  faith  in  the  London  Parliament, 
and  she  paid  dearly  for  the  weakness.  The  majority  of  those  elected 
were  either  landlords  who  had  no  real  sympathy  with  the  people,  or 
insincere  politicians  anxious  to  secure  a  place  from  the  Government  by 
selling  their  country.  The  opportunity  soon  presented  itself.  The  Eccle- 
siastical Titles  Bill  was  devised  by  Lord  John  Russell  for  the  double 
purpose  of  affording  an  opportunity  for  baseness  and  treachery  on  the 
part  of  Catholic  Members  and  of  dividing  North  and  South  by  reviving 
religious  rancor.    It  succeeded  to  perfection. 

Led  by  the  infamous  Sadlier,  who  afterwards  committed  suicide  on 
Hampstead  Heath,  and  the  still  more  infamous  Keogh,  who  a  few  years 
ago  also  destroyed  himself  in  a  Belgian  hotel,  the  corrupt  section  of 
the  Irish  Parliamentary  party  commenced  a  vigorous  opposition  to 
the  bill,  meetings  were  held  all  over  the  country  and  "tenant  right" 
was  soon  forgotten  in  a  fierce  outburst  of  sectarian  passion.  The 
sturdy  Presbyterians  of  Ulster,  who  were  the  backbone  of  the  Tenant 
League,  fell  back  in  alarm,  the  spirit  of  the  organization  was  broken 
and  the  renegade  Members  settled  down  into  comfortable  places  under 
the  Government.  Duffy,  George  Henry  Moore,  John  Francis  Maguire  and 
Frederick  Lucas,  endeavored  for  a  time  to  stem  the  torrent,  but  their 
efforts  were  unavailing  and  Duffy  was  compelled  to  seek  a  new  home  in 
Australia.  Archbishop — afterwards  Cardinal — Cullen  brought  the  full 
weight  of  ecclesiastical  authority  to  bear  in  the  interest  of  the  English 
Government  and  the  landlords,  on  the  priests  who  had  made  themselves 
prominent  in  the  movement,  and  Ireland  relapsed  into  the  most  forlorn 
and  apathetic  condition  she  had  been  in  since  the  Penal  Days.  All  con- 
fidence was  dead,  and  the  landlords  were  able  to  continue  their  work  of 
rooting  out  the  people,  disturbed  only  by  an  occasional  shot  from  an  out- 
raged peasant's  gun. 

Ireland  slept  till  the  spirit  of  Fenianism  gradually  aroused  her  and 
gave  her  the  renewed  political  life  which  has  throbbed  in  her  veins  with 
ever-increasing  vigor  to  the  present  day.  Fenianism  was  not  agrarian  ; 
but,  as  it  was  essentially  a  movement  of  the  people,  its  members  nearly 
all  held   the  national  creed  or  the   Land  Question.    Disciples  of  John 

E 


34 


THE  RISE  AND  INFLUENCE  OF  FEN  I  A  NISM. 


Mitchel,  who  more  than  any  other  of  the  men  of  '48,  gave  voice  to  the 
popular  sentiment ;  the  early  members  were  mainly  brought  into  the  move- 
ment by  men  who  had  kept  alive  a  remnant  of  an  organization  started 
by  James  Fintan  Lalor  in  1849,  and  the  destruction  of  the  foreign  land- 
lord system  was  one  of  the  cherished  objects  of  the  majority.  There 
were  notable  exceptions,  of  course,  but  the  number  was  very  small.  This 
spirit  did  not  show  itself  in  acts,  because  the  plan  of  the  organization 
was  purely  military,  and  contemplated  simply  an  armed  effort  to  over- 
throw English  rule. 

But  the  chief  influence  of  Fenianism  was  in  giving  the  people  habits 
of  organization  and  of  acting  together,  developing  qualities  of  leadership 
and  breaking  down  sectarian  prejudice.  It  found  Ireland  disorganized, 
the  people  standing  still  and  having  no  confidence  whatever  in  them- 
selves. It  gave  organized  shape  to  the  national  idea,  set  the  people 
moving  in  the  direction  of  nationality  and  filled  them  with  a  spirit  of 
self-reliance  that  has  never  since  deserted  them.  It  gave  the  young  men 
an  object  to  work  for,  an  ambition,  a  desire  to  do  and  dare  and  sacrifice 
for  the  common  good,  and  it  brought  men  from  all  parts  of  Ireland 
together.  Crude  and  incomplete  as  it  was,  ill-directed  as  were  most  of  its 
operations,  it  gave  a  stimulus  to  national  life  that  cannot  be  denied  or 
ignored.  It  failed  ;  but,  for  the  first  time  in  Irish  history,  the  organiza- 
tion lived  through  the  failure,  wrung  important  political  measures  from 
the  English  Government,  and  supplied  Ireland  with  a  living,  active,  per- 
manent political  force  which  must  be  counted  with  in  all  questions  affect- 
ing the  national  welfare.  Moreover,  it  trained  a  number  of  zealous,  active, 
intelligent  workers,  filled  with  a  restless  activity  and  a  burning  desire 
to  place  their  country  among  the  nations.  It  prepared  the  way  for  a 
combination  of  the  forces  of  the  Irish  race  at  home  and  abroad,  and 
revived  among  England's  enemies  the  habit  of  watching  the  course  of 
Irish  affairs.  It  also  prepared  the  way  for  the  Land  League  and  supplied 
it  with  its  founder,  Michael  Davitt,  and  the  audiences  that  first  listened 
to  his  doctrines. 


THE  INTENSITY  OF  FEN  I  A  NISM. 


35 


CHAPTER  II. 

A  NEW  DEPARTURE  IN  IRISH  AFFAIRS. 

The  National  Spirit  Unbroken  by  the  Abortive  Rising  of  1867 — Reorganizing  the  forces  of 
Disaffection — The  Manchester  Rescue  and  the  Election  of  Jo/in  Mitchcl — Rise  of  the 
Parnell  Group  of  Irish  Members — Davitt  and  the  American  Nationalists — Foundation 
and  Progress  of  the  Land  League. 

THE  lull  which  followed  the  abortive  "rising"  of  1867  was  very 
different  from  that  produced  by  the  failure  of  any  previous  insurrec- 
tionary attempt.  It  was  temporary  and  transient.  The  strength  of  the 
country  had  not  been  put  forth,  and  the  failure  was  too  plainly  traceable 
to  mismanagement,  imperfect  armament,  and  the  demoralization  consequent 
on  bad  leadership  and  divided  counsels,  to  produce  a  permanently  discour- 
aging effect  on  the  people.  No  striking  event  had  occurred  in  connec- 
tion with  the  attempt,  and  a  portion  only  of  the  organized  Nationalist 
element  had  taken  part  in  it.  The  bold  rescue  of  two  of  the  insurrec- 
tionary leaders,  in  the  streets  of  Manchester,  and  the  disastrous  explosion 
at  Clerkenwell,  in  the  attempt  to  liberate  a  third,  before  the  close  of  the 
same  year,  gave  ample  proof  that  the  revolutionary  spirit  was  at  work,  and 
that  the  English  Government  was  still  face  to  face  with  a  disaffected 
people.  Four  men  gave  their  lives  for  Ireland  on  the  scaffold;  and  the 
indignation  aroused  by  the  incidents  of  their  trial  and  execution  gave  a 
fresh  stimulus  to  the  hatred  of  foreign  rule.  The  Disestablishment  of 
the  Irish  Protestant  Church,  and  the  Land  Act  of  1870,  were,  on  the 
authority  of  Mr.  Gladstone  himself,  the  result  of  "  the  intensity  of 
Fenianism ; "  and  Isaac  Butt's  languid  Home  Rule  movement  was  an 
attempt  to  compromise  the  National  question  suggested  by  a  similar 
experience.  Both  failed  to  conciliate  the  majority  of  the  Irish  people, 
and  the  influence  of  Fenianism  remained. 

Although  most  of  the  leaders  were  sent  to  convict  prisons,  and  many 
thousands  of  the   most  intelligent  Nationalists  were  obliged  to   fly  the 


36 


THE  RE-ORGANIZED  NATIONALIST  MOVEMENT. 


country,  the  movement  remained,  to  a  certain  extent,  intact,  and  its  local 
centres  of  work  were,  in  many  cases,  undisturbed.  The  less  sanguine 
spirits  fell  away,  both  in  Ireland  and  America,  but  an  organization 
remained ;  the  broken  links  were  repaired,  and,  in  the  course  of  a  few 
years  disaffection,  to  British  rule  was  in  a  more  effective  condition  than 
when  its  organized  adherents  were  much  more  numerous,  a  few  years 
before.  Those  of  the  more  active  spirits,  who  had  escaped  imprison- 
ment, found  refuge  in  the  United  States,  and  their  better  and  fresher 
knowledge  of  the  actual  condition  of  Ireland  enabled  the  American 
branch  of  the  Irish  National  movement  to  avoid  many  of  the  mistakes 
which  had  brought  Fenianism  to  shipwreck.  Many  of  them,  too,  were 
brought  into  direct  contact  with  John  Mitchel,  and  became  more  deeply 
imbued  with  his  ideas.  The  influence  of  these  refugees — supported  as  it 
was  by  continual  accessions  from  home — has  been  felt  in  Irish  politics 
ever  since,  and  the  relations  between  the  Irish  at  home  and  their  coun- 
trymen in  America  became  closer  than  ever  before. 

Learning  by  dearly-bought  experience,  the  Nationalists  on  both  sides 
of  the  Atlantic  made  a  more  careful  estimate  of  the  task  they  had 
undertaken,  and  altered  their  plans  accordingly.  Their  principles  and 
objects  remained  the  same,  but,  instead  of  hatching  projects  of  petty  in- 
surrections doomed  to  end  in  defeat,  their  policy  became  to  organize 
slowly  and  carefully,  wait  for  England's  difficulty,  and  strike  with  the 
concentrated  force  and  resources  of  the  Irish  race  the  world  over. 

From  1867  to  the  foundation  of  the  Land  League  in  1879,  tne  only 
organized  bodies  of  Irishmen  aiming  at  any  important  political  change, 
except  the  Home  Rule  League,  which  was  only  a  few  hundred  strong, 
were  the  Nationalists.  Their  organizations  were  the  only  centres  of 
National  life,  the  only  living  political  force  in  the  country,  and 
the  spasmodic  ebullitions  of  vitality  given  by  the  Home  Rule  move- 
ment were  due  entirely  to  a  section  of  the  Nationalists  who,  for  a 
time,  threw  their  energies  into  it  for  the  purpose  of  pushing  it  forward. 
During  these  years  the  strength  of  the  National  sentiment,  among  the 
masses  of  the  people  was  demonstrated  by  many  public  events,  but  by 
none  more  forcibly  than  by  the  election  to  Parliament  of  O'Donovan 
Rossa  and  John  Mitchel,  on  both  of  whom  England  had  set  the  brand 
of  felony.    The  poetic  death  of  the  latter,  in  the  very  house  in  which 


RISE  OF  THE  PAR  NELL  PARTY. 


37 


he  was  born,  honored  and  lamented  by  the  whole  nation,  while  the 
British  Parliament  was  hurrying  through  a  motion  to  disqualify  him 
from  membership  in  an  assembly  whose  authority  he  repudiated,  was 
one  of   the  most  striking  events  in  later  Irish  history. 

In  1878,  the  Home  Rule  movement,  started  by  Isaac  Butt,  had 
almost  ceased  to  exist ;  but  a  new,  more  vigorous,  and  more  aggressive 
form  of  it  had  begun  to  make  itself  felt.  Young  men  had  sprung  up 
who  chafed  under  the  restraints  imposed  by  Butt,  and  who  had  no  sym- 
pathy with  his  conservative  tendencies,  or  his  halting  and  hesitating 
policy.  They  had  not  as  yet  any  definite  plan,  the  object  they  aimed  at 
was  the  same  as  Butt's,  and  the  only  apparent  difference  was  in  the 
desire  for  greater  activity  in  the  same  work.  They  showed  greater 
hostility  to  everything  English,  and  their  tactics  were  harassing  and 
annoying  to  "  the  English  enemy."  This  active  section  of  the  Home 
Rulers  soon  became  known  as  the  Obstructionists,  from  their  action  in 
Parliament,  and  their  greater  hostility  to  England  won  them  popularity 
with  the  people.  They  leaned  towards  the  Nationalists  for  support,  and 
their  main  strength,  inside  the  Home  Rule  party,  was  in  that  element. 
Charles  Stewart  Parnell,  the  leader  of  this  group,  displayed  such  tact, 
firmness  and  judgment  in  the  Parliamentary  contests,  and  such  a  grow- 
ing tendency  towards  Nationalism  in  his  public  speeches,  that  he  soon 
became  the  most  popular  man  in  Ireland. 

But  the  party  was  still  without  a  policy,  or  a  definite  object,  and  it 
was  not  quite  in  harmony  with  the  traditions  and  the  hopes  of  the 
country.  It  drifted  along  in  a  sort  of  hap-hazard  way,  following  the 
movements  of  English  politics,  embarrassing  the  Ministry  wherever  it 
could,  exposing  Irish  grievances,  and  waiting  for  the  inspiration  and  the 
man  to  give  it  a  policy  and  an  object  that  would  bring  it  into  harmony 
with  the  popular  will. 

Such  was  the  state  of  Irish  politics  when,  in  1878,  Michael  Davitt 
appeared  upon  the  scene.  In  a  very  short  time  the  whole  face  of  Irish 
politics  was x  changed,  and  the  people  were  aroused  to  a  degree  of  polit- 
ical activity  and  a  perfection  of  organization  that  have  never  been 
equalled  in  the  whole  course  of  Irish  history.  Yet  he  did  not  make  the 
change.  The  elements  of  the  storm  which  burst  over  Ireland  had  been 
gathering  for  ages  ;  but  to  him,  more  than  to  any  other  man,  belongs  the 


38 


ADVENT  OF  MICHAEL  DAVITT. 


credit  of  guiding  the  people  through  the  terrible  ordeal,  of  inspiring 
them  with  the  confidence  that  commands  success,  and  of  giving  them 
the  watch-words  which  kept  their  ranks  unbroken  until  the  dangers 
which  menaced  their  very  existence  were  passed. 

Michael  Davitt  had  borne  a  very  humble  but  a  very  active  part  in 
the  Fenian  movement.  The  son  of  an  evicted  Mayo  farmer,  he  expe- 
rienced in  his  own  person  all  the  evils  of  the  Anglo-Irish  land  system 
The  family  were  obliged  to  seek  employment  in  England,  and  settled 
down  in  the  little  town  of  Haslingden,  in  Lancashire,  where,  after  getting 
the  barest  rudiments  of  education,  the  future  founder  of  the  Land 
League,  while  yet  a  mere  child,  was  sent  to  work  in  a  mill.  An  accident, 
which  deprived  him  of  his  right  arm,  incapacitated  him  for  work  when 
only  nine  years  of  age,  and  he  was  sent  back  to  school.  But  for  this  seem- 
ing misfortune,  the  world  would  have  never  heard  of  him.  He  might 
have  been  shot  in  an  insurrection  or  hanged  for  "  treason,"  but  he  cer- 
tainly never  would  have  figured  as  a  leader  in  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
movements  of  modern  times.  With  another  installment  of  rudimentary 
knowledge,  young  Davitt  was  sent  to  work  at  the  age  of  eleven  years 
in  the  local  post-office,  where  a  small  business  in  printing  and  stationery 
was  also  carried  on.  Books  were  thrown  in  his  way  and,  without  guid- 
ance or  instruction,  he  availed  himself  of  every  opportunity  to  improve 
his  mind;  so  that,  as  he  grew  to  manhood,  he  was  far  ahead  of  many 
who  had  gone  through  a  careful  course  of  training.  He  was  the  leader 
of  the  young  Irishmen  of  the  district,  and  when  a  revolutionary  agent 
visited  Haslingden,  Davitt  was  naturally  selected  as  chief  propagandist. 
He  threw  himself  into  the  Fenian  movement  with  his  whole  heart,  and 
when  in  February,  1867,  when  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age,  the  attempt 
was  made  to  seize  Chester  Castle,  he  was  on  hand  with  his  little  con- 
tingent. Unable  to  shoulder  a  rifle,  with  his  single  arm,  he  carried  a 
small  store  of  cartridges  in  a  bag  made  from  a  pocket  handkerchief,  and, 
on  the  failure  of  the  attempt,  returned  to  Haslingden  to  resume  his  work 
and  re-organize  the  broken  fragments  of  his  "  circle."  On  the  re-organi- 
zation of  the  movement  he  was  selected  as  an  organizer  for  the  North 
of  England,  where  he  did  very  important  work,  and  was  then  detailed 
for  the  more  arduous  duty  of  purchasing  arms  and  forwarding  them  to 
Ireland.    Arrested  and  brought  to  trial  for  this  work,  he  was  sentenced 


i 


FROM  THE  CONVICT  CELL  TO  THE  PLATFORM. 


in  1870  to  fifteen  years'  penal  servitude,  seven  and  a  half  of  which  had 
expired  when  he  was  released  in  1878  on  a  "  ticket  of  leave." 

Almost  from  the  moment  of  his  release,  Davitt  became  an  important 
man  in  Irish  politics.  He  had  studied  much  in  an  irregular  way  in 
prison,  and  came  out  with  his  head  full  of  plans  and  projects  which  he 
was  impatient  to  put  in  practice.  Some  of  the  prison  libraries  had  a 
few  good  books,  although  most  of  what  reached  the  cells  was  literary 
rubbish,  and  a  little  dexterity  often  enabled  the  convicts  to  exchange 
books  surreptitiously,  and  thus  read  two  or  three  during  the  fortnight 
which  English  "red  tape"  supposed  necessary  to  the  digestion  of  the 
smallest  volume.  He  had  an  overpowering  desire  to  make  up  for 
the  deficiencies  of  his  early  training,  and  an  extraordinary  faculty  of 
acquiring  in  a  short  time  what  ordinary  men  learned  by  slow  and 
painful  work.  A  weak  man  is  ruined  mentally  and  physically  by  impris- 
onment, but  a  man  of  strong  fibre  sent  to  prison  for  standing  by  his 
native  land,  although  injured  physically  by  the  confinement,  comes  out 
more  resolute,  more  self-contained,  and  with  a  clearer  view  of  things 
than  if  he  had  spent  his  years  in  the  heat  and  strife  of  the  outside 
world.  It  was  so  with  Davitt.  He  acquired  a  habit  of  thinking  out  a 
subject  while  sitting  at  his  silent  task  or  pacing  his  lonely  cell  during 
seven  long  years,  and  he  emerged  from  the  prison  with  a  truer  concep- 
tion of  the  needs  of  the  movement,  on  the  success  of  which  his  heart 
was  set,  than  he  could  have  realized  had  he  escaped  imprisonment. 

Received  enthusiastically  by  their  countrymen  on  their  release,  the 
four  "  ticket  of  leave"  men,  Davitt,  Chambers,  McCarthy  and  O'Brien, 
were  the  idols  of  the  hour.  Two  days  after  their  arrival  in  the  Irish 
capital,  however,  a  sudden  gloom  was  cast  over  them  by  the  death  from 
heart  disease  of  McCarthy,  while  breakfasting  with  Mr.  Parnell,  in  com- 
pany with  John  Dillon  and  others  whose  names  have  since  become  well 
known.  Invited  to  almost  every  town  in  Ireland,  and  to  every  place  in 
England  and  Scotland  where  there  were  Irishmen  enough  to  welcome 
them,  the  duty  of  replying  to  addresses  devolved  upon  Davitt,  and  he 
performed  it  with  admirable  tact,  judgment  and  spirit.  This  was  his 
first  experience  in  public  speaking ;  and,  although  not  naturally  a  great 
orator,  he  soon  acquired  a  facility  of  expression  that  enabled  him  to  face 
any   audience    of  his   countrymen   with   confidence.     These  receptions 


40 


DAVITT' S  FIRST  VISIT  TO  AMERICA. 


brought  him  into  personal  contact  with  many  thousands  of  his  country- 
men, and  enabled  him  to  ascertain  for  himself  the  exact  condition  of  the 
National  movement  and  the  tendencies  of  National  thought.  It  also 
gave  him  numerous  opportunities  of  impressing  men  with  his  own  ideas  ; 
but  he  found,  to  his  great  satisfaction,  that  the  minds  of  most  of  his  old 
friends  had  been  moving  in  the  same  direction  as  his  own — although  not, 
perhaps,  at  such  a  rapid  pace.  Called  before  a  Parliamentary  Committee 
to  give  evidence  as  to  the  cruel  treatment  of  the  political  prisoners,  he 
conducted  himself  with  such  good  sense,  candor  and  judgment  as  to 
extort  compliments  from  hostile  English  Members,  although  he  made  a 
strong  case  against  the  Government,  and  showed  plainly  that  the 
release  had  been  dictated  by  a  desire  to  save  the  discredit  of  allowing 
McCarthy  to  die  without  proper  medical  treatment  in  prison.  He  was 
also  brought  into  contact  with  many  "  moderate "  men,  then  strongly 
prejudiced  against  the  extreme  National  movement,  and  made  an  impres- 
sion upon  them  which  produced  important  results  during  the  next  two 
or  three  years. 

Having  finished  his  tour  through  the  "  United  Kingdom,"  Davitt 
determined  to  visit  America  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  his  mother  and 
sisters  who,  during  his  imprisonment,  had  quitted  England.  He  arrived 
in  New  York  early  in  August,  1878,  having  first  been  assured  by  some 
old  revolutionary  friends  that  he  could  secure  as  many  lecture  engage- 
ments as  would  enable  him  to  pay  the  expenses  of  the  trip,  and  carry  out 
his  project  of  taking  his  mother  home  to  Ireland.  An  extended  course 
was  then  far  from  his  thoughts  ;  but  the  persuasion  of  his  friends,  after 
much  trouble,  induced  him  to  change  his  mind,  and  he  delivered  addresses 
in  numerous  towns  in  the  Eastern,  Middle,  and  a  few  of  the  Western 
States. 

With  the  exception  of  the  members  of  his  own  family,  two  or  three 
personal  friends  and  a  few  dozen  old  associates  from  the  North  of  Eng- 
land, scattered  through  the  country,  Davitt  at  that  time  knew  no  one  in 
America.  In  New  York  City  he  knew  but  one  man,  Mr.  James  J. 
O'Kelly,  then  on  the  staff  of  the  Herald  and  afterwards  member  of  Par- 
liament for  Roscommon.  He  landed  on  a  Sunday  evening,  and  after 
depositing  his  baggage  at  a  hotel  proceeded  at  once  to  the  Herald 
office  to  see  his  friend.    There  the  writer  was  introduced  to   him  by 


THE  NEW  DEPARTURE. 


43 


Independence  should  be  lost  sight  of,  in  the  whirl  of  an  agitation  over 
minor  grievances  where  scheming  politicians  were  liable  to  get  the  upper 
hand.  At  private  conferences,  held  everywhere  he  lectured,  Davitt  sol- 
emnly pledged  himself  that  every  effort  of  his  would  be  devoted  to  avert 
this  danger,  and  that  Irish  Independence  should  be  always  kept  as  the 
beacon  light  ahead.  On  the  faith  of  these  pledges,  repeated  many  times 
afterwards,  the  support  of  the  Nationalists  of  America  was  secured  to  the 
new  programme,  and  Davitt  enabled  to  preach  the  gospel  in  Ireland. 

Meanwhile  a  conference  of  Home  Rulers  was  held  in  Dublin.  The 
"Home  Rule  Confederation  of  Great  Britain,"  the  English  branch  of  the 
organization,  in  which  Mr.  Parnell's  strongest  supporters  were  to  be  found, 
held  its  annual  gathering  in  the  Irish  capital,  and  the  "active  policy"  in 
Parliament  was  endorsed.  The  cable  despatches,  published  by  the  Xew 
York  press,  represented  the  result  as  a  secession  movement  and  a  repu- 
diation of  the  leadership  of  Isaac  Butt.  This  misled  the  Xew  York 
Nationalists,  and  after  a  short  consultation  and  telegraphic  communication 
with  neighboring  cities,  it  was  decided  to  send  the  following  cable  des- 
patch to  Dublin,  for  presentation  to  Mr.  Parnell,  if  approved  by  some 
well-known  Nationalists  there : 

"The  Nationalists  here  will  support  you  on  the  following  conditions: 
"'  First,  Abandonment  of  the  federal  demand,  and  substitution  of  a 
general  declaration  in  favor  of  Self-Government. 

o 

"  '  Second,  Vigorous  agitation  of  the  Land  Question  on  the  basis  of  a 
peasant  proprietary,  while  accepting  concessions  tending  to  abolish  arbi- 
trary eviction. 

"  '  Third,  Exclusion  of  all  sectarian  issues  from  the  platform. 

u  '  Fourth,  Irish  members  to  vote  together  on  all  Imperial  and  Home 
questions,  adopt  an  aggressive  policy,  and  energetically  resist  coercive 
legislation. 

"'Fifth,  Advocacy  of  all  struggling  nationalities  in  the  British  Em- 
pire and  elsewhere.'  " 

This  despatch  was  signed  by  Dr.  William  Carroll,  of  Philadelphia  ; 
John  J.  Breslin,  F.  F.  Millen  and  John  Devoy,  of  New  York  ;  and 
Patrick  Mahon,  of  Rochester,  N.  Y.  It  was  published  in  the  New 
York  Herald  next  day,  and  a  series  of  "interviews"  with  prominent 
Irish  Nationalists  on    the    day   following   giving   their  approval  of  the 


44 


DAVITTS  FIRST  LECTURE  TOUR. 


programme  and  their  reasons  for  favoring  it.  The  article  concluded  with 
the  following  words:  "The  feeling  against  Irish  landlordism  the  repor- 
ter found  to  be  very  intense,  and  a  desire  almost  universally  expressed 
that  the  whole  system  should  be  swept  away ;  at  the  same  time  that 
much  was  said  in  praise  of  certain  individual  members  of  the  landlord 
class.  Fenianism,  as  people  will  persist  in  calling  the  extreme  form  of 
Irish  Nationality,  seems  really  to  be  about  to  take  '  a  new  departure,' 
and  to  be  destined  to  play  a  more  active  part  in  the  public  life  of 
Ireland  than  at  any  previous  time.  The  reporter  was  assured  that 
lively  times  are  ahead  in  both  England  and  Ireland,  which  will  act 
as  a  strong  stimulant  on  the  Irish  movement  in  America,  and  create  no 
small  excitement.  The  belief  in  mere  isolated  insurrectionary  movements 
seems  to  have  died  out,  and  to  be  replaced  by  a  determination  to  obtain 
such  a  public  standing  in  Ireland  as  will  attract  the  attention  of  the 
world,  and  secure  alliances :\with  England's  enemies." 

The  "lively  times"  came/J  indeed,  and  supplied  the  "strong  stimulant 
to  the  Irish  movement  in  America,"  as  predicted. 

At  this  time  Davitt  was  travelling  through  the  States,  and  the  des- 
patch was  sent  to  Parnell  and  the  interviews  published  without  consult- 
ing him.  When  the  papers  reached  him  he  became  alarmed,  and  wrote 
to  New  York  deprecating  the  haste  with  which  the  programme  had  been 
published.  He  feared  it  would  frighten  "  moderate "  people  in  Ireland 
whom  he  hoped  to  gain  over  by  slow  degrees,  and  that  the  Nationalists 
in  Ireland  would  take  it  as  an  effort  to  revive  a  Whig  agitation  for 
"redress  of  grievances."  Both  these  things  occurred,  and  to  a  great 
extent  the  new  movement  was  hampered  by  misunderstandings  as  to  its 
scope  and  its  objects.  A  fierce  controversy  ensued — within  a  limited 
circle,  it  is  true,  but  including  all  those  who  were  then  actively  work- 
ing for  Ireland,  and  on  the  decision  arrived  at  depended  whether  the 
"  new  departure "  should  become  a  question  of  practical  politics  or  be 
strangled  at   its  birth. 

Davitt,  after  his  tour  in  the  West,  returned  to  New  York,  physi- 
cally exhausted  by  incessant  travelling,  but  filled  with  hope  for  the 
future  from  what  he  had  seen  in  his  wanderings.  Roughly  speaking,  he 
had  an  idea  of  the  work  before  him,  but  it  was  in  a  crude  and  indef- 
inite shape,  and  he   determined  to  return   to   Ireland,  trusting  a  good 


WINNING  OVER  THE  EDITORS. 


45 


deal  to  luck,  and  depending  largely  on  his  confidence  in  the  patriotic 
instinct  of  the  Irish  people.  He  had  been  introduced  to  Patrick  Ford, 
of  the  Irish  World,  a  few  days  after  his  arrival,  and  found  that  gen- 
tleman perfectly  ready  for  an  agitation  of  the  most  extreme  kind  on 
the  Land  Question,  but  through  ignorance  of  the  actual  state  of  Ire- 
land, totally  unprepared  for  any  effort  to  obtain  control  of  the  local 
public  bodies,  and  out  of  harmony  with  the  popular  sentiment  on  the 
National  Question.  He  had  several  interviews  with  him  and  succeeded 
in  making  a  lasting  impression,  although  Mr.  Ford  had  been  at  first 
inclined  to  denounce  Davitt  for  advocating  what  he  considered  a  halting 
and  half-hearted  policy.  The  result  was  very  satisfactory.  For  a  consid- 
erable time  the  Irish  World  dropped  its  vague  and  meaningless  denuncia- 
tions of  "great  blasphemies"  and  its  advocacy  of  "eternal  principles" 
that  were  not  stated,  and  went  into  plain,  downright  recommendations 
for  an  agitation  against  the  existing  land  system  in  Ireland.  This, 
together  with  Davitt's  vigorous  recommendations,  increased  its  sale  im- 
mensely  in  Ireland,  and  for  a  long  time  it  became  the  recognized  organ 
of  the  most  advanced  form  of  disaffection  to  British  Rule  in  Ireland. 

Wishing  to  win  over  to  his  views  every  important  organ  of  Irish 
opinion  in  America,  Davitt  next  turned  his  attention  to  the  Boston  Pilot. 
John  Boyle  O'Reilly,  the  editor  of  that  paper,  had  been  a  Fenian,  and, 
while  a  soldier  in  a  British  cavalry  regiment,  had  been  court-martialled 
and  sent  to  penal  servitude  in  Australia  for  participation  in  "  treasonable 
projects."  "  Accompanied  by  a  New  York  friend,  who  was  an  old  associ- 
ate of  O'Reilly,  Davitt  repaired  to  Boston,  and  in  one  interview  succeeded 
in  winning  over  the  editor  of  the  Pilot  and  other  influential  Irishmen  to 
the  "  new  departure."  Shortly  after  this,  he  delivered  a  lecture  in  Boston 
in  which  he  gave  a  more  complete  sketch  of  his  plans  and  objects  than 
he  had  hitherto  given,  and  had  conferences  with  O'Reilly,  Dr.  Joyce,  P. 
A.  Collins  and  other  leading  Irishmen  of  that  city.  This  was  his  last 
lecture  in  America,  and  in  December,  1878,  he  returned  to  Ireland. 

Attacked  by  the  Irishman,  a  Dublin  paper  which  had  at  that  time 
some  influence  with  a  portion  of  the  National  party,  and  whose  editor 
traded  on  the  National  vote,  he  was  engaged  in  a  fierce  controversy  the 
very  week  of  his  arrival  in  Dublin.  The  Irishman  represented  the 
"new  departure"   as   a  cunning  scheme   to   turn   the   attention  of  the 


46 


NATIONALISTS  AND  HOME  RULERS. 


Nationalists  from  the  work  they  were  engaged  in,  to  a  purely  Parliamen- 
tary agitation,  and  its  authors  as  deserters  from  the  National  ranks. 
This,  for  a  time,  had  considerable  effect  on  many  men  who  had  been 
at  first  disposed  to  look  with  favor  on  the  project,  and  resulted  in 
Davitt  being  compelled  to  defend  his  character  and  his  doctrines  in  a 
newspaper  controversy  of  peculiar  bitterness.  Meetings  of  Nationalists 
were  held,  and  the  whole  scheme  proposed  was  discussed  with  great 
earnestness  for  many  weeks.  Those  who  opposed  him  did  so  on  the 
ground  that  his  scheme  was  a  departure  from  the  doctrine  of  physical 
force,  and  an  intermeddling  in  English  Parliamentary  politics  that  was 
fraught  with  danger  to  the  National  cause.  Very  few  had  the  smallest 
sympathy  with  the  landlords.  Davitt  bent  all  his  energies  to  the  task 
of  winning  over  the  Nationalists  to  his  views,  knowing  that,  without  their 
aid,  he  could  do  nothing  of  the  slightest  importance,  as  Ireland  was  then 
situated,  and  that,  with  their  hostility,  it  would  be  impossible  to  do 
anything  at  all.  His  efforts  were  vigorously  seconded  by  his  American 
friends,  and,  during  the  Spring  of  1879,  large  numbers  of  men  were 
won  over.  He  failed,  however,  in  his  darling  object  of  inducing  the 
party  to  go  into  the  new  policy  in  a  body  and  direct  its  operations. 
He  was  left  free  to  act  and  was  ably  and  efficiently  aided  by  individ- 
uals and  the  rest  was  left  to  himself.  He  next  turned  his  attention 
to  the  Parnellite  section  of  the  Home  Rulers,  and  endeavored  to  effect 
alterations  in  their  programme  and  prepare  the  way  for  a  union 
between  them  and  the  Nationalists.  In  this  he  was  only  partially  suc- 
cessful. Conferences  were  held  in  Ireland,  England  and  France,  and  his 
life  during  this  period  was  one  of  restless  activity.  Frequently  he  was 
tempted  to  give  up  the  attempt  in  disgust ;  but  he  finally  persevered  and 
continued  to  make  converts  to  his  ideas,  or  to  discover  men  who  already 
held  them.  Among  the  first  to  come  to  his  assistance  were  Patrick 
Egan  and  Thomas  Brennan  ;  and  the  close  union  and  personal  friend- 
ship subsisting  between  these  three  men  had  a  great  influence  on  the 
future  course  of  the  movement. 

At  this  time,  Mr.  Parnell,  although  favorably  impressed  with  portions 
of  the  new  policy,  hesitated  about  throwing  himself  into  it,  fearing  that 
he  might  be  pushed  farther  than  he  deemed  it  prudent  to  go,  and  fancy- 
ing that  some  of  its  Nationalist  advocates  harbored  insurrectionary  projects 


PATRICK    EG  AN. 


THE  ELEMENTS  FAVORING   THE  MOVEMENT. 


47 


that  might  be  sprung  on  the  movement  during  some  popular  excitement. 
Davitt  had  set  his  heart  on  winning  him  over,  and  neglected  no  oppor- 
tunity of  making  an  impression.  Finally,  what  human  arguments  failed 
to  do  was  accomplished  in  a  few  short  weeks  by  nature.  The  elements 
were  all  on  the  side  of  the  new  movement,  and  almost  everything  that 
occurred  brought  some  new  adherents. 

The   Summer  of  1879  l°n&  be   remembered  in   Ireland.  The 

Spring  had  been  excessively  dry,  and  in  the  beginning  of  April  there 
was  not  a  green  leaf  to  be  seen  on  the  trees.  The  farmers  were  crying 
out  for  rain,  and  when  it  came  it  was  copious  enough  to  satisfy  their  most 
sanguine  expectations.  Soon  everything  looked  blooming,  and  the  lux- 
uriance of  the  foliage  gave  promise  of  an  abundant  harvest.  But  the 
rain  continued,  and  during  the  whole  summer  there  were  scarcely  ten  dry 
days.  The  sky  was  dark  and  leaden,  the  air  was  damp  and  chill,  and 
the  earth  was  soaked  with  water.  Every  one  became  alarmed  for  the 
harvest  and  longed  for  a  few  days  of  sunshine.  Overcoats  had  to  be 
worn  in  July,  and  the  most  gloomy  prognostications  were  indulged  in. 
It  was  plain  to  all  that  crops  would  be  short,  and  many  foresaw 
famine.  The  farmers  saw  no  prospect  of  getting  the  rent,  and  eviction, 
as  well  as  starvation,  was  staring  them  in  the  face.  The  ghastly  memo- 
ries of  '47  were  revived,  and  all  Ireland  was  in  a  sullen  and  gloomy 
mood.  A  new  generation  had  grown  up  that  would  not  tamely  submit 
to  what  their  fathers  had  patiently  borne  during  that  terrible  period, 
and  to  a  great  extent  they  were  organized. 

Meetings  began  to  be  held  to  appeal  to  the  landlords  for  abatement 
of  rent,  and  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten  these  humble  appeals  were  treated 
with  contemptuous  indifference.  Members  of  Parliament  laid  the  facts 
before  the  Government  and  were  sneered  at  and  lectured  about  Irish 
improvidence  and  thriftlessness.  Farmers'  clubs,  town  councils,  boards  of 
poor  law  guardians,  meetings  of  priests,  began  to  move  and  pointed  out 
to  the  Government  the  necessity  of  action  and  to  the  landlords  the  duty 
of  bearing  their  portion  of  the  public  calamity  and  of  treating  the 
afflicted  people  with  humanity.  Xo  effect  was  produced  on  the  Govern- 
ment and  very  little  on  the  landlords,  but  the  country  was  becoming  angry 
and  exasperated.  In  Mayo  and  Sligo,  meetings  of  another  kind  began 
to  be  held.    Groups  of  young  men  would  assemble  in  the  darkness  of 


48 


THE  FIRST  MEETINGS  IN  MAYO. 


the  night,  and  disguising  themselves,  make  a  violent  demonstration  either 
against  a  neighboring  landlord  or  some  weak-kneed  member  of  their 
own  class.  This  thing  began  to  spread,  and  would  have  ended  in  a 
more  extensive  system  of  Whiteboyism  than  had  ever  been  seen  in 
Ireland  before.  The  spirit  of  resistance  was  strong,  and  as  sure  as 
eviction  would  come  landlords  would  be  shot,  the  police  and  the  soldiers1 
would  retaliate,  and  a  hopeless  agrarian  Avar  would  be  the  result. 
Davitt  saw  the  danger  and  determined  to  make  a  desperate  effort  to 
avert  it.  He  hurried  down  to  Mayo,  pointed  out  the  danger  of  the 
situation,  and  induced  the  young  men  to  give  other  methods  a  trial. 
He  succeeded,  and  after  a  few  preliminary  gatherings  the  first  meeting 
of  the  Land  Agitation  was  held  at  Irishtown  in  Mayo. 

The  number  of  people  present  was  not  nearly  so  large  as  the  news- 
papers represented,  but  there  were  four  or  five  thousand  there  and 
the  evidence  of  organization  was  not  lost  on  the  authorities.  The  men 
marched  in  by  parishes,  each  contingent  having  its  leader,  and  took 
up  their  places  according  to  instructions  received  beforehand.  There 
was  no  confusion,  no  hurry,  and  the  old  excitement  and  demonstrative 
enthusiasm  common  at  Irish  popular  gatherings  was  nowhere  visible. 
The  demeanor  of  the  men  was  quiet,  orderly  and  firm,  with,  perhaps, 
a  slight  mixture  of  timidity  on  the  part  of  the  older  men.  The  leaders 
of  contingents,  and  those  who  took  the  most  active  part  in  the 
proceedings,  were  all  young  men  and  well  known  as  staunch  adherents 
of  the  National  cause.  A  large  proportion  of  them  had  worked  in  Eng- 
land for  a  time,  and  a  few  had  been  in  America.  But  the  great  majority 
of  those  present  were  small  farmers  and  their  sons,  and  their  relatives 
settled  in  the  neighboring  towns.  The  resolutions  had  been  written 
beforehand  by  Davitt,  and  discussed  at  informal  meetings  and  social  gath- 
erings in  Dublin  by  Patrick  Egan,  Thomas  Brennan,  and  others.  They 
covered  the  question  of  Self-Government,  the  necessity  of  establishing  a 
peasant  proprietary,  and  of  an  abatement  of  rent  pending  the  settlement 
of  the  Land  Question.  The  proceedings  consisted  simply  of  the  passage 
of  these  resolutions  and  speeches  in  support  of  them,  after  which  the 
various  contingents  marched  back  to  their  homes.  Some  of  the  men  who 
spoke  were  politicians  anxious  to  make  capital,  having  no  heart  in  the 
movement  and  not  intending  to  pursue  it  further  than  the  passage  of 


A  HEEDLESS  GOVERNMENT  AND  A  SULLEN  PEOPLE. 


49 


some  paltry  concession  by  Parliament.  The  people,  however,  were  in 
earnest,  but  still  hardly  conceiving  the  nature  of  the  struggle  on  which 
they  were  entering. 

The  proceedings  were  published  in  the  Dublin  papers,  and  a  howl  of 
indignation  came  from  the  Irish  Conservative  and  the  English  press. 
The  doctrines  enunciated  were  declared  to  be  rank  communism,  and  the 
Government  was  urged  to  suppress  such  meetings  in  future.  The  very 
existence  of  distress  was  scouted,  and  the  request  for  a  reduction  of 
rents  was  pronounced  to  be  robbery.  Attention  was  called  to  it  in  Par- 
liament, and  when  some  of  the  Irish  members  pointed  out  the  certainty 
of  great  distress,  if  not  of  actual  famine,  they  were  answered  by  homilies 
on  the  laziness  and  improvidence  of  the  Irish  people.  Lord  Beaconsfield 
talked  flippantly  about  the  Irish  never  providing  during  "years  of  plenty" 
for  bad  seasons,  and  their  habit  of  continually  appealing  to  the  Govern- 
ment to  remedy  the  results  of  their  own  "  neglect."  The  sacredness  of 
the  "rights  of  property"  was  insisted  upon,  and  the  tremendous  services 
of  the  Irish  landlords  to  the  tenantry,  their  benevolence  and  good 
nature  were  extolled  to  the  skies.  The  people  read  these  things — they 
had  become  much  more  of  a  newspaper  reading  people  than  in  1848 — 
and  the  natural  result  followed.  A  spirit  of  sullen  determination  not 
to  tamely  submit  to  a  repetition  of  the  horrors  of  '47  took  possession 
of  them,  and  they  turned  their  thoughts  to  the  means  of  procuring  arms 
with  which  to  resist  eviction  and  extermination.  The  rain  kept  constantly 
pouring  down,  and  as  the  summer  advanced,  all  lingering  hopes  of  a  fair 
harvest  vanished.  The  people  grew  more  sullen  as  the  prospect  darkened 
and  ominous  mutterings  of  vengeance  were  distinctly  heard.  In  several 
districts  of  the  West,  plans  for  the  shooting  of  from  six  to  twenty  land- 
lords at  one  stroke  on  the  commencement  of  evictions  were  hatched,  and 
many  who  afterwards  took  an  active  part  in  the  agitation  were  indisposed 
to  waste  any  time  in  a  purely  peaceful  and  legal  movement. 

The  danger  of  the  situation  was  promptly  reported  to  Davitt  and  his 
friends,  and  he  immediately  set  to  work  to  find  a  remedy.  He  went  down 
to  his  native  county,  examined  things  for  himself,  and  used  all  his  influ- 
ence with  the  Nationalists  to  restrain  the  people  and  to  induce  them  to 
continue  the  meetings  and  keep  their  condition  before  the  public.  He 
had  enormous  difficulties  to  contend  with  ;  but,  after  many  discouragements 

"  G 


So 


NATIONAL  TENDENCIES  OF  THE  AGITATION. 


and  disappointments,  he  succeeded  and  the  agitation  went  on.  Other 
meetings  were  held  at  Milltown,  Westport  and  Claremorris,  and  the 
movement  gathered  force  as  it  went  along.  At  Milltown,  Thomas 
Brennan  proposed  the  following  resolution,  which  was  substantially  the 
same  as  that   proposed  at  all   the  early  meetings,  and   first   in   order  : 

"  That,  as  the  people  of  Ireland  have  never  ceased  to  demand  their 
right  of  Self-Go vernment,  we  hereby  reiterate  our  resolution  to  labor  for 
the  same  until  our  country  has  secured  its  attainment."  And  in  the 
course  of  his  speech  in  support  of  it,  he  used  the  following  words : 
"  Their  presence  there,  notwithstanding  landlords'  frowns  and  agents' 
threats,  proved  that  they  knew  their  rights,  and  were  determined  to 
insist  upon  them.  They  met  that  day  to  declare  the  rights  of  their 
country  to  National  Independence,  and  he  believed  that  it  was  only 
in  an  Irish  Senate  their  right  to  the  ownership  in  the  land  would  be 
recognized." 

The  strong  National  tendency  of  most  of  the  speeches  was,  in  fact, 
the  most  remarkable  feature  of  these  meetings,  and  Davitt's  scornful 
repudiation  of  Butt's  Home  Rule  scheme  and  all  other  attempts  at  com- 
promise on  the  National  Question,  evoked  severe  criticism  from  the 
adherents  of  the  Home  Rule  League.  But,  without  resolutions  and 
speeches  expressing  such  sentiments,  the  Nationalists  of  Mayo  would  not 
have  attended  the  meetings,  and  it  was  they  who  gathered  the  timid 
farmers  and  marshalled  the  crowds  that  gave  these  meetings  importance. 
Besides  this,  they  were  the  expression  of  the  deliberate  conviction  of  the 
speakers. 

At  Westport,  Mr.  Parnell  gave  expression  to  his  famous  advice  to 
the  farmers  to  "keep  a  firm  grip  of  their  holdings,"  which  afterwards 
became  one  of  the  watchwords  of  the  Land  League.  He  declared  that 
"  if  the  landlords  could  be  purchased  out,  as  in  Prussia,  it  would  be  a 
final  settlement  of  the  question."  "  But,  in  the  meanwhile,"  he  contin- 
ued, "  it  is  necessary  to  ensure  that,  as  long  as  the  tenant  pays  a  fair 
rent,  he  shall  be  left  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  industry.  A  fair  rent  is 
a  rent  the  tenant  can  reasonably  pay  according  to  the  times,  but  in 
bad  times  a  tenant  cannot  be  expected  to  pay  as  much  as  he  did  in 
good  times,  three  or  four  years  ago.  Now  what  must  we  do  in  order  to 
induce  the  landlords  to  see  the  position?    You  must  show  the  landlords 


JOHN  OF  TUAM  DENOUNCES  THE  AGITATORS. 


5* 


that  you  intend  to  hold  a  firm  grip  of  your  homesteads  and  lands. 
You  must  not  allow  yourself  to  be  dispossessed."  At  Claremorris,  John 
Dillon  made  his  first  speech  in  connection  with  the  movement.  He 
expressed  his  gratification  at  the  fact  of  it  being  in  his  native  prov- 
ince of  Connaught,  where  Cromwell  had  driven  so  man)'  of  the  Irish 
people,  and  where  landlordism  had  done  its  worst  work,  that  the  move- 
ment to  brine  about  its  downfall  had  originated.  At  the  meeting  of  the 
committee  of  arrangements  for  this  demonstration,  the  Rev.  Ulick  Burke, 
who  presided  next  day,  endeavored  to  have  a  resolution  in  favor  of 
"denominational  education"  and  another  favoring  "Home  Rule" 
adopted  ;  but  although  he  gave  proof  that  he  was  acting  under  instruc- 
tions from  Archbishop  MacHale,  of  Tuam,  one  of  the  most  popular 
men  who  ever  lived  in  Ireland,  the  proposition  was  rejected.  Such  reso- 
lutions had  been  passed  at  every  popular  meeting  in  Ireland  for  several 
years  previous,  and  the  refusal  to  accept  them  alarmed  the  Catholic 
hierarchy. 

The  relations  between  the  Catholic  clergy  and  the  originators  of  the 
agitation  were,  at  this  time,  rather  strained.  In  relation  to  the  West- 
port  meeting,  the  Archbishop  of  Tuam  sent  the  following  letter  to  the 
Dublin  Freeman  s  Journal: 

Westport,  June  5. 
"Dear  Sir: — In  a  telegraphic  message  exhibited  towards  the  end  of 
last  week  in  a  public  room  of  this  town,  an  Irish  member  of  Parliament 
has  unwittingly  expressed  his  readiness  to  attend  a  meeting,  convened  in 
a  mysterious  and  disorderly  manner,  which  is  to  be  held,  it  seems,  in 
Westport,  on  Sunday  next.  Of  the  sympathy  of  the  Catholic  clergy  for 
the  rack-rented  tenantry  of  Ireland,  and  of  their  willingness  to  co-oper- 
ate earnestly  in  redressing  their  grievances,  abundant  evidence  exists  in 
historic  Mayo  as  elsewhere.  But  night-patrolling,  acts  and  words  of 
menace  with  arms  in  hand,  the  profanation  of  what  is  most  sacred  in 
religion — all  the  result  of  lawless  and  occult  association — eminently  merit 
the  solemn  condemnation  of  the  ministers  of  religion,  as  directly  tending 
to  impiety  and  disorder  in  Church  and  in  society.  Against  such  combi- 
nations in  this  diocese,  organized  by  a  few  designing  men,  who,  instead 
of  the  well-being  of  the  community,  seek  only  to  promote  their  personal 
interests,  the  faithful  clergy  will  not  fail  to  raise  their  warning  voices, 


52 


DA  VI TT  DEFENDS  HIMSELF. 


and  to  point  out  to  the  people  that  unhallowed  combinations  lead  invari- 
ably to  disaster  and  to  firmer  riveting  of  the  chains  by  which  we  are 
unhappily  bound  as  a  subordinate  people  to  a  dominant  race. 
"  I  remain,  dear  sir,  faithfully  yours, 

"John,  Archbishop  of  Tuam." 

And  a  little  later  he  addressed  a  long  letter  to  the  same  paper,  in 
which  the  following  passage  occurred:  "In  some  parts  of  the  country  the 
people,  in  calmer  moments,  will  not  fail  to  be  astonished  at  the  circum- 
stance of  finding  themselves  at  the  tail  of  a  few  unknown,  strolling  men, 
who,  with  affected  grief,  deploring  the  condition  of  the  tenantry,  seek 
only  to  mount  to  place  and  preferment  on  the  shoulders  of  the  people  ; 
and,  should  they  succeed  in  their  ambitious  designs,  they  would  not  hes- 
itate to  shake  aside  at  once  the  instrument  of  their  advancement  as  an 
unprofitable  incumbrance." 

The  former  letter  referred  to  Mr.  Parnell ;  but  the  latter  was  clearly 
aimed  at  Davitt,  who  promptly  replied :  "  As  one  who  has  taken  part  in 
the  meetings  to  which  his  Grace  refers,"  he  said,  "  I  beg  respectfully  to 
say  that  I  am  neither  a  strolling  nor  an  unknown  man  in  the  West,  but 
one  who  works  for  his  daily  bread,  and  who  is  known  in  Mayo,  my 
native  county,  where  my  relatives  are  now,  in  common  with  others, 
experiencing  the  severity  of  the  times,  and  a  want  of  that  assistance  in 
the  struggle  of  life  which  a  beneficial  change  in  the  land-laws  ol  Ireland 
would  afford  them.  Some  twenty-five  years  ago,  my  father  was  ejected 
from  a  small  holding  near  the  parish  of  Straed,  in  Mayo,  because 
unable  to  pay  a  rent  which  the  crippled  state  of  his  resources,  after 
struggling  through  the  famine  years,  rendered  impossible.  Trials  and  suf- 
ferings in  exile  for  a  quarter  of  a  century,  in  which  I  became  physically 
disabled  for  life,  a  father's  grave  dug  beneath  American  soil,  myself  the 
only  member  of  my  family  ever  destined  to  live  or  die  in  Ireland,  and 
this  privilege  existing  only  by  virtue  of  '  ticket-of-leave,'  are  the  conse- 
quence which  follow  that  eviction."  All  this,  he  added,  entitled  him 
to  something  more  than  an  imputation  of  affected  grief  at  the  condition 
of  his  kindred,  threatened  with  a  fate  similar  to  his  own. 

The  people  expressed  their  feelings  with  regard  to  this  controversy 
by  holding  a  meeting,  where  about  five  thousand  people  attended,  in  front 
of  the   Archbishop's   house,  and   passing   similar    resolutions.    A  great 


ALARM  OF  THE  LANDLORDS. 


53 


number  of  the  priests  were  heartily  in  sympathy  with  the  movement  from 
the  beginning,  and,  after  a  while,  the  open  opposition  to  the  new  move- 
ment ceased.  The  agitation  went  on,  but  still  without  any  definite- 
organization,  and  the  tone  and  spirit  of  it  may  be  judged  by  the  following 
speech  delivered  by  Davitt  at  Milltown,   County  Galway. 

"I  would  advise  the  tenant-farmers,"  he  said,  "to  feed  themselves  and 
their  children,  to  live  comfortably  and  decently,  to  keep  their  cabins 
neat,  and  send  their  children  to  school,  and,  if  there  was  sufficient  left, 
to  pay  the  landlords  the  rents  they  demand.  Let  the  landlords  turn 
them  out  of  their  homes,  if  they  would,  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  and 
a  spirit  would  spring  up  in  Ireland  that  would  be  the  destruction  of 
landlords  forever."  He  urged  them  to  organize.  "What  had  organiza- 
tion done  for  Ireland?"  he  continued.  "The  organization  to  which  he 
had  the  honor  to  belong — the  Fenian  organization  (loud  and  prolonged 
cheers) — that  organization  disestablished  the  Irish  Church.  So  said  Mr. 
Gladstone.  Well,  an  organization  of  the  tenant-farmers  would  disestab- 
lish the  landlords  in  half  the  time"  (cheers).  In  conclusion,  Mr.  Davitt 
counselled  them  to  agitate,  and  said  he  did  not  look  to  the  House  of 
Commons  for  a  settlement  of  this  question,  but  to  the  perseverance  of 
the  Irish  people  on   Irish  soil. 

The  landlords  in  Ireland  became  alarmed  ;  but  the  Government  seemed 
to  attach  no  importance  to  the  agitation.  Mr.  James  Lowther,  the  Chief 
Secretary  for-  Ireland,  in  reply  to  a  question  in  the  House  of  Commons 
regarding  the  meeting  above  mentioned,  thus  contemptuously  described  the 
meeting:  "The  first  resolution  was  moved  by  a  clerk  in  a  commercial 
firm  in  Dublin,  and  seconded  by  a  person  described  as  a  discharged 
school-master.  Another  resolution  was  proposed  by  a  convict  at  large  on 
a  ticket-of-leave,  and  seconded  by  a  representative  of  a  local  newspaper." 
The  "  convict  at  large  on  a  ticket-of-leave "  was  destined  to  play  a  much 
more  important  part  in  the  world  than  the  flippant  Yorkshire  squire  who 
thus  undertook  to  dispose  of  him. 

The  Land  meetings  continued,  and  the  area  of  the  agitation  was 
widened.  From  Connaught  the  movement  spread  into  Munster  and  parts 
of  Leinster  and  Ulster;  but,  in  most  cases,  the  resolutions  and  speeches 
were  milder  in  the  three  latter  provinces.  Meetings  of  Tenants'  Defense 
Associations,  Farmers'  Clubs,  and  of  the  Catholic  Clergy,  passed  resolu- 


54 


DECLARATIONS  OF  THE  CATHOLIC  CLERGY. 


tions  calling  on  the  Government  to  come  to  the  relief  of  the  distressed 
districts  ;  but  nowhere  was  the  tone  so  vigorous  or  aggressive  as  in  the 
meetings  organized  by  the  Connaught  Nationalists.  A  declaration  of  the 
Catholic  Clergy  of  the  Deanery  of  Tralee,  County  Kerry,  may  be  taken 
as  a  sample.  It  said:  "The  prevailing  distress,  we  believe,  to  be  owing 
principally  to  the  following  causes:  In  the  first  place,  to  the  excessive 
rents  for  the  last  twenty  years.  There  has  been  very  generally  a  steady 
increase  of  rents,  that  were  already  high  enough,  until  they  have  been 
advanced  to  50  or  100  per  cent.  ;  in  some  cases,  even  much  over  the 
poor-law  valuation.  These  exorbitant  rents  the  tenants  have  struggled  to 
pay,  as  long  as  prices  kept  up  and  harvests  proved  favorable.  But  now 
that  the  prices  of  all  kinds  of  agricultural  produce  have  fallen  20  per 
cent,  they  find  it  utterly  impossible  to  meet  the  extravagant  rents  they 
were  heretofore  obliged  to  pay — rents  which  we  believe  to  be  higher 
than  in  any  other  part  of  Ireland."  And  the  subject  of  American  com- 
petition was  not  forgotten.  "  But  it  may  be  said,"  the  document  con- 
tinues, "  that  the  present  depression  is  only  temporary,  and  that  a  good 
harvest  or  two  will  restore  matters  to  their  former  equilibrium.  We  fear 
not ;  because  we  apprehend  that  some,  at  least,  of  the  causes  are  of  a 
permanent  character.  We  may  hope,  through  God's  mercy,  for  favorable 
seasons  and  good  harvests;  but  we  cannot  hope  that  the  competition  of 
foreign  producers  on  the  Continents  of  both  Europe  and  America  will 
cease  or  become  less  active.  On  the  contrary,  we  regard  that  competi- 
tion as  only  in  its  commencement.  *  *  *  *  Now,  if  this  state  of  things 
continues,  the  tenant-farmers  of  Ireland  must  of  necessity  go  to  the  wall. 
Bankruptcy  and  ruin  will  speedily  overtake  them,  and  the  country  will  be 
reduced  to  as  bad  a  condition  of  things  as  that  of  the  famine  times. 
The  landlords  have  the  salvation  of  the  country  in  their  hands."  The 
clergy  of  Clifden,  County  Galway,  concluded  a  long  statement  of  the 
condition  of  that  district  as  follows  :  "  We  shall  continue  to  agitate,  until 
the  order  of  death  by  starvation  and  the  slow  process  of  hunger  shall 
have  vanished,  and  until  death  by  eviction  and  extermination  shall  be 
drawn  from  within  the  right  which  landlords  enjoy ;  that  is,  of  perpetu- 
ating the  hideous  crime  of  murder  by  rack-rent  and  extermination." 

The  Irish  Members  again  and  acain  called  the  attention  of  the  Gov- 
ernment  to  the  prevalence   of  wide-spread  distress ;  but  the  only  action 


GROWJXG  EXASPERATION  OE  THE  PEOPLE. 


55 


taken  was  to  quarter  a  large  force  of  constabulary  in  the  "disturbed" 
districts,  at  an  enormous  cost  to  the  people.  A  number  of  the  landlords 
granted  reductions  of  rent ;  but  the  vast  majority  treated  all  appeals  for 
abatement  with  contempt,  and  called  on  Parliament  for  measures  of 
repression.  The  Grand  Jury  of  Mayo,  a  landlord  body,  called  the  atten- 
tion of  the  Government  to  "the  unsettled  state  of  the  county,  and  to 
the  serious  agitation  against  the  payment  of  rents  without  regard  to 
the  rate  or  time  at  which  the  lands  were  let,  or  to  the  other  circum- 
stances connected  therewith.  This  illegal  design,"  they  continued,  "  is 
pursued  by  a  system  of  wholesale  intimidation  by  words  and  acts  of  men- 
ace, and  by  violent  speeches,  exciting  the  people  to  outrages  against  both 
landlords  and  tenants.  We  think  these  evils  cannot  be  effectually 
removed  without  additional  powers  being  conferred  on  the  executive  by 
Parliament."  This  was  a  specimen  of  the  spirit  shown  by  the  landlord 
class  during  the  early  stages  of  the  agitation.  They  did  not  know  the 
enormous  change  that  had  taken  place  in  the  popular  mind,  and  of  what 
little  use  to  them  the  "additional  powers"  would  prove. 

The  people  became  exasperated,  and  the  tone  of  the  meetings  grew 
bolder  and  more  defiant.  Davitt  understood  the  spirit  of  the  landlords 
thoroughly ;  and  that  he  did  not  underestimate  the  difficulties  to  be 
overcome,  may  be  judged  from  the  following  extract  from  a  speech 
delivered  at  Shrule,  County  Mayo:  ''Your  fight,"  he  said,  "is  against 
a  system  which  will  be  held  to  by  the  landlords  like  grim  death. 
Organize,  unite,  and  sap  its  foundation  by  intelligent  and  persevering 
operation.  Expose  its  inhuman  structure  to  the  world.  In  the  words 
of  the  illustrious  Mitchel  :  'Act  as  if  every  tillage  farm  in  Ireland 
was  a  fortress  to  be  held,  not  for  the  occupant  and  the  landlord  only, 
but  for  the  country.'  Whether  Ireland  is  to  become  a  free  nation  or 
not,  or  her  land  emancipated,  depends  upon  the  way  in  which  the  garri- 
son of  farmers  acquit  themselves,  and  stand  upon  their  right  to  the  soil 
of  the  fatherland,  and  to  the  fruits  of  the  labor  by  which  they  culti- 
vated it." 

The  repeal  of  the  Convention  Act,  secured  mainly  through  the  exer- 
tions of  Mr.  P.  J.  Smyth,  then  Member  for  Westmeath,  enabled  the 
agitators  to  give  the  new  movement  more  definite  shape,  and  on  August 
16th.  1879,  a  Convention  of  tenant-farmers  was  held  in  Castlebar.  Here 


THE  NATIONAL  LAND  LEAGUE  OF  MAYO. 


the  "  National  Land  League  of  Mayo "  was  formed,  and  its  object  set 
forth  in  a  published  document  drawn  up  by  Davitt.  The  following 
extracts  will  be  sufficient  to  show  the  aims  and  purposes  of  the  organiza- 
tion :  "  The  objects  for  which  this  body  is  organized  are,  to  watch  over 
the  interests  of  the  people  it  represents,  and  protect  the  same,  as  far  as 
may  be  in  its  power  to  do  so,  from  an  unjust  or  capricious  exercise  of 
power  or  privilege  on  the  part  of  landlords,  or  any  other  class  in  the 
community.  To  resort  to  every  means  compatible  with  justice,  morality 
and  right  reason,  which  shall  not  clash  defiantly  with  the  Constitution 
upheld  by  the  powers  of  the  British  empire  in  this  country,  for  the  abo- 
lition of  the  present  Land  laws  of  Ireland,  and  the  substitution  in  their 
place  of  such  a  system  as  shall  be  in  accord  with  the  social  rights  and 
interests  of  our  people,  the  traditions  and  moral  sentiments  of  our  race, 
and  which  the  contentment  and  prosperity  of  our  country*  imperiously 
demand."  All  instances  of  eviction,  rack-renting  and  other  arbitrary  acts 
were  to  be  exposed,  the  names  of  all  who  should  take  farms  from  which 
others  had  been  evicted  published,  and  the  members  were  pledged  gen- 
erally to  stand  by  one  another.  The  seventh  article  was  peculiarly 
significant:  "Finally,  to  act  as  a  vigilance  committee  in  Mayo,  noting 
the  conduct  of  its  Grand  Jury,  poor-law  guardians,  town  commissioners 
and  Members  of  Parliament,  and  pronounce  on  the  manner  in  which 
their  respective  functions  are  performed,  whenever  the  interests,  social  or 
political,  of  the  people,  represented  by  this  club,  render  it  expedient  to 
do  so." 

Mr.  Parnell's  position  at  this  time  may  be  judged  from  the  following 
words  uttered  at  a  meeting  held  in  Limerick  on  August  31st:  "It  was 
the  duty  of  the  Irish  tenant-farmers  to  combine  and  ask  for  a  reduction 
of  rent,  and  if  they  got  no  reduction  where  a  reduction  was  necessary, 
then,  he  said,  that  it  was  the  duty  of  the  tenant  to  pay  no  rent  until  he 
got  it ;  and  if  they  combined  in  that  way,  if  they  stood  together,  and  if, 
being  refused  a  reasonable  and  just  reduction,  they  kept  a  firm  grip  of 
their  homesteads,  no  power  on  earth  could  prevail  against  the  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  tenant-farmers  of  this  country."  The  advice  was  approved 
of  by  the  assembled  farmers,  and  embodied  in  the  following  resolution  : 
"  That  the  farmers  of  this  county  pledge  themselves  not  to  take  any 
farm  from  which  a  tenant  has  been  evicted  for  refusing  to  pay  a  rent 


THE  CENTRAL  LAND  LEAGUE  FORMED. 


57 


which,  in  the  opinion  of  honest  and  impartial  valuators,  is  a  rack-rent, 
and  which  would  make  it  impossible  for  the  person  paying  it  to  maintain 
his  farm  with  decency  and  comfort." 

By  slow  degrees  the  agitation  spread  in  Ulster ;  but  the  demands  of 
the  farmers  were  very  moderate.  The  inaction  of  the  Government  and 
the  selfishness  of  the  landlords,  however,  soon  produced  the  natural  result ; 
and  speeches  of  a  very  aggressive  character  began  to  be  applauded  at 
meetings,  where  there  was  a  considerable  mixture  of  Protestants  in  the 
crowd.  At  Draperstbwn,  County  Londonderry,  Mr.  Biggar,  Member  of 
Parliament  for  Cavan,  said  :  "  If  the  landlords  refused  the  reasonable 
and  fair  concession  now  asked  for,  they  might  have  to  suffer  a  great  deal, 
because,  ultimately,  a  bloody  revolution  might  take  place  in  these  king- 
doms, and  the  land  might  be  taken  from  the  landlords  entirely,  as  it  was 
in  France." 

Another  feature  of  the  agitation,  subsequently  called  Boycotting,  was 
first  mentioned  by  John  Dillon  at  Maryborough,  Queens  County.  He  said  : 
"  The  fight  will  begin  after  the  November  days.  What  will  the  landlords 
do  when  they  refused  them  the  rents  of  November  ?  Let  those  who  have 
the  money,  pay  the  rent;  and  those  that  have  too  high  rents,  ask  the  land- 
lord to  reduce  them  by  50  or  60  per  cent.,  and  if  he  refused,  pay  no 
rent.  He  will  then  serve  the  tenant  with  notice,  and  they  must  have 
the  meetings  .every  Sunday,  and  if  the  last  resource  were  adopted,  they 
must  put  a  ban  on  his  land.  If  any  man  then  takes  up  that  land,  let 
no  man  speak  to  him,  or  have  any  business  transactions  with  him." 

Finally,  a  central  organization  for  the  direction  of  the  agitation  was 
formed  at  a  meeting  held  in  the  Imperial  Hotel,  Dublin,  on  October 
21st,  1879.  The  object  was  the  same  as  that  of  the  Mayo  Land  League, 
and  the  methods  to  be  used  exactly  those  sketched  out  by  Davitt.  The 
body  which  called  the  organization  into  existence  was  not  very  large, 
and  few  of  those  present  commanded,  at  that  time,  much  influence  in 
the  country.  There  were  a  few  Members  of  Parliament,  a  few  lawyers 
of  no  particular  distinction,  some  Dublin  shopkeepers,  priests,  editors, 
clerks,  and  the  men  who  had  up  to  then  conducted  the  meetings  in  the 
West.  It  is  very  doubtful  if  at  that  moment  any  of  those  present, 
except  perhaps,  Davitt,  fully  realized  the  nature  of  the  struggle  on  which 
they  were  entering,  or  the  tremendous  influence  the   new  organization 

H 


58         PARNELL'S  LEADERSHIP— THE  CENTRAL  ORGANIZATION. 


was  about  to  exercise  in  Ireland,  and  in  the  world.  They  had  con- 
ducted the  agitation  so  far  with  considerable  success,  owing  entirely  to 
the  aid  received  from  the  Nationalists  of  the  localities  where  meetings 
were  held ;  a  more  manly  and  self-reliant  spirit  had  been  infused  into 
the  farmers,  who  had  been  given  habits  of  acting  together — the  materials, 
in  short,  had  been  collected  for  a  great  movement ;  but  the  future  was 
as  much  dependent  on  the  action  of  the  Government  as  on  the  conduct 
of  the  people  or  their  leaders. 

Mr.  Parnell  had  shown  great  hesitation  about  assuming  the  leadership 
of  the  movement  during  the  early  meetings,  and  it  was  only  after 
repeated  interviews  with  Davitt  and  a  representative  of  the  Irish-Ameri- 
can Nationalists,  and  the  strongest  assurances  that  he  would  not  be  asked 
to  go  beyond  a  certain  limit,  that  he  finally  consented  to  throw  himself 
into  it.  He  had  the  peculiar  faculty  of  being  able  to  act,  on  matters 
where  agreement  prevailed,  with  people  whose  views  were  much  more 
advanced  than  his  own  ;  and,  while  acting  and  speaking  with  great 
audacity,  his  caution  and  self-restraint  never  forsook  him.  Without  a  man 
of  his  social  standing  the  humble  men  who  had  started  the  agitation 
never  could  have  brought  it  to  the  stage  where  it  then  was ;  and  with- 
out the  aid  of  their  energy,  experience  and  knowledge  of  the  people,  Mr. 
Parnell  would  have  been  equally  unsuccessful.  And  all  combined  could 
not  have  got  along  without  the  active  co-operation  of  a  very  large  section 
of  the  Nationalists  in  Ireland,  backed  by  the  vast  majority  in  America. 

The  objects  of  the  League  were  declared  to  be  "first,  to  bring  out  a 
reduction  of  rack-rents  ;  second,  to  facilitate  the  obtaining  of  the  owner- 
ship of  the  soil  by  the  occupiers."  It  was  then  declared  "  that  the  objects 
of  the  League  can  be  best  attained  by  promoting  organization  among  the 
tenant-farmers ;  by  defending  those  who  may  be  threatened  with  eviction 
for  refusing  to  pay  unjust  rents;  by  facilitating  the  working  of  the  Bright 
clauses  cf  the  Land  Act  (of  1870)  during  the  winter;  and  by  obtaining 
such  reform  in  the  laws  relating  to  land  as  will  enable  every  tenant 
to  become  the  owner  of  his  holding  by  paying  a  fair  rent  for  a  lim- 
ited number  of  years."  Mr.  Parnell  was  elected  President;  A.  J.  Kettle, 
a  County  Dublin  farmer,  Michael  Daviit  and  Thomas  Brennan,  Secre- 
taries; and  Joseph  G.  Biggar,  M.P.,  W.  H.  O'Sullivan,  M.P.,  and  Patrick 
Egan,  Treasurers.    Resolutions  to  the  following  effect  were  then  passed : 


FIRST  CRISIS  OF  THE  AGITATION. 


59 


"  That  the  President  of  this  League,  Mr.  Parnell,  be  requested  to 
proceed  to  America  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  assistance  from  our  exiled 
countrymen,  and  other  sympathizers,  for  the  objects  for  which  this  appeal 
is  issued.  That  none  of  the  funds  of  this  League  shall  be  used  for  the 
purchase  of  any  landlord's  interest  in  the  land,  or  for  furthering  the  inter- 
ests of  any  Parliamentary  candidate."  The  meeting  then  adjonrued  and 
the  Land  League  was  launched  on  its  perilous  career. 

Mr.  Parnell  did  not  start  immediately  for  America,  but  remained  in 
Ireland  to  superintend  the  work  of  organization.  Meetings  were  held  as 
before,  and  a  large  number  of  Farmers'  Clubs,  Tenants'  Defense  Associa- 
tions, and  other  kindred  organizations  became  affiliated  with  the  central 
organization  as  branch  leagues.  The  distress  was  becoming  greater  and 
boards  of  Poo1"  Law  Guardians,  Town  Councils,  and  other  public  bodies 
were  passing  resolutions  calling  for  prompt  relief  and  amendment  of 
the  Land  Laws.  Even  the  Local  Government  Board,  a  body  appointed 
by  the  Government,  felt  called  upon  to  act,  and  issued  a  report  giving 
facts  and  figures  taken  from  official  sources,  showing  that  the  country 
was  rapidly  hurrying  towards  famine.  The  remnant  of  the  crops  which 
had  been  spared  by  the  terrible  rains  of  the  summer,  and  had  been 
slightly  stimulated  by  the  feeble  sunshine  of  July  and  August,  were 
almost  totally  destroyed  by  a  series  of  the  most  awful  thunder-storms 
and  floods  that  Ireland  had  ever  seen.  The  people  were  in  an  angry 
mood  and  beginning  to  lose  faith  in  an  agitation  that  appeared  to  have 
no  prospect  of  success,  when  the  Government  came  to  the  aid  of  the 
agitators  by  a  bad  blunder. 

The  first  crisis  of  the  agitation  was  at  length  reached  at  a  meet- 
ing held  at  Gurteen,  County  Sligo,  on  Nov.  2d.  The  Government  had 
watched  this  extraordinaty  agitation  with  some  alarm,  but  it  is  doubt- 
ful whether  its  full  significance  was  appreciated.  Official  stenographers 
had  been,  for  some  time,  attending  the  meetings  for  the  purpose  of 
supplying  verbatim  reports  of  the  speeches,  and  those  delivered  at  Gur- 
teen furnished  what  was  considered  a  good  opportunity  to  aim  a  blow  at 
the  agitation  that  might  keep  it  from  assuming  more  dangerous  propor- 
tions. Davitt,  alluding  to  a  recent  statement  of  Chief  Secretary  Lowther 
that  the  Irish  farmers  had  ^"30,000,000  in  bank,  and  that  the  money 
formed  a  good  security   for  the  landlords  to  obtain   their  rent  during 


6o 


THE  SPEECHES  AT  GURTEEN. 


the  winter,  said  :  "  If  it  is  true,  I  deny  that  you  should  draw  upon  that, 
in  this  year  of  impending  famine  and  dire  misfortune  before  us,  in  order 
to  satisfy  the  greed  and  avarice  of  the  landlords.  If  you  have  it  there, 
I  say  look  first  to  the  necessities  of  your  children,  of  your  wives,  and  of 
your  homes;  look  to  the  wants  and  necessities  of  the  coming  winter; 
and,  when  you  have  satisfied  those  wants  and  necessities,  if  you  have  a 
charitable  disposition  to  meet  the  wants  of  the  landlord,  give  him  what 
you  can  spare,  and  give  him  no  more.  I  am  one  of  those  peculiarly 
constituted  Irishmen  who  believe  that  rent  for  land  under  any  circum- 
stances, in  prosperous  times  or  bad  times,  is  nothing  more  nor  less  than 
an  unjust  and  immoral  tax  upon  the  industry  of  a  people ;  and  I  further 
believe  that  landlordism,  as  an  institution,  is  an  open  conspiracy  against 
the  well-being,  prosperity,  and  happiness  of  a  people  ;  and  I  say  that 
anything  that  is  immoral — whether  it  be  a  rent  or  an  open  conspiracy  of 
landlordism — has  to  be  crushed  by  the  people  who  suffer  in  consequence 
of  it.  *  *  *  Are  we  here  to  listen  to  any  proposal  of  fixity  of  tenure 
at  fair  rents,  with  periodical  valuations  ?  I  say  no.  That  is  fixity  of 
landlordism,  fixity  of  poverty  and  squalor,  and  fixity  of  degradation,  which 
have  made  Ireland  a  reproach  before  civilization,  a  nation  of  beggars.  I 
say  that,  at  last,  in  face  of  another  impending  famine,  too  plainly  visible, 
the  time  has  come  when  the  manhood  of  Ireland  will  spring  to  its  feet 
and  say  it  will  tolerate  this  system  no  longer." 

Another  speaker,  James  Daly,  proprietor  of  the  Connaught  Telegraph, 
wound  up  his  address  thus:  "In  conclusion,  I  give  you  this  bit  of  advice 
— hold  your  farms.  Let  them  serve  you  with  notice  to  quit,  with  eject- 
ments ;  let  them,  if  they  like,  proceed  to  the  courts.  Defend  yourselves, 
but  don't  allow  them  to  evict  you.  Then,  supposing  anyone  is  evicted, 
let  you  assemble  and  put  him  in  again  that  very  night ;  and  if  there  is 
a  coward  enough  found  among  you  to  take  another's  land,  then,  I  hope, 
he  will  be  served  as  he  deserves." 

James  B.  Killen,  a  Northern  Presbyterian  barrister,  was  still  more 
outspoken.  "  When  I  saw  this  large  assemblage  before  me,  I  thought  of 
an  old  legend  I  heard  in  the  North,  that  in  a  cavern  there  were  a  thou- 
sand  mailed  warriors  resting  on  their  swords,  who  would,  when  their 
enchantment  was  broken,  at  the  sound  of  the  angel  of  liberty's  proclama- 
tion of  Ireland's  liberty  and  freedom,  burst  forth.    When  I  saw  you  in 


SYMPATHY  AROUSED  BY  THE  PROSECUTIONS. 


61 


your  age,  in  your  middle  age,  in  the  glory  of  your  manhood,  aye,  and  in 
your  womanhood  too,  I  thought  the  hour  had  arrived  when  Ireland's  lib- 
-  erty  was  about  to  be  consummated.  *  *  *  There  are  some  men  who 
will  bring  the  law  in  operation  on  you,  bring  notices  to  quit  and  eject- 
ments, and  turn  you  out  of  your  houses  and  farms.  But  if  there  be  any 
man  who  will  go  into  that  house  or  farm — well,  may  the  Lord  take  care 
of  him.  I  leave  it  to  yourselves.  Self-preservation  is  the  first  law  of 
nature ;  and  I  leave  it  to  you  to  say  whether  we  are  to  obtain  our 
rights,  as  in  other  countries,  by  the  pen,  the  pencil,  or  the  sword  if 
you  wish  it.  Oh  !  the  time  has  gone  by  for  any  namby-pamby  speak- 
ing. We  must  now  approach  the  matter  with  ungloved  hand,  speak  tc 
the  men  face  to  face,  and  tell  them  what  we  want  and  what  we  mean. 
I  say  nothing  here  but  what  I  am  prepared  to  stand  by." 

The  Government  instituted  a  prosecution,  the  three  orators  were 
brought  before  the  magistrates  in  Sligo,  they  became  the  popular  heroes 
and  a  fresh  stimulus  was  given  to  the  agitation. 

The  Irish  in  America  had  not  been  much  moved  by  the  agitation  up 
to  this  period.  Full  of  sympathy  for  their  kindred  and  hating  English 
domination  with  a  bitterness  that  neither  time  nor  distance  could  lessen, 
most  of  them  had  as  yet  failed  to  see  any  practical  way  of  helping  the 
new  movement.  They  did  not  believe  the  British  Parliament  would 
grant  any  genuine  measure  of  relief,  nor  did  they  believe  that  Ireland 
was  strong  enough  to  wrest  her  rights  by  force.  But  they  had  been 
keenly  watching  the  course  of  events  at  home,  and  at  every  Nationalist 
meeting  the  subject  was  earnestly  discussed.  Their  attitude  was  one  of 
sympathetic  inaction,  but  a  force  of  opinion,  afterwards  to  exert  an  enor- 
mous influence,  was  slowly  but  surely  developing.  The  arrests  and  sub- 
sequent trials  supplied  a  strong  stimulus.  Irishmen  were  prosecuted  by 
an  English  Government  for  endeavoring  to  benefit  their  own  people,  and 
there  could  be  no  question  as  to  the  side  on  which  the  sympathies  of 
Irish- Americans  would  be  ranged. 

The  same  was  the  case  among  the  working  classes  in  the  Irish  cities, 
and  particularly  among  the  more  active  adherents  of  the  National  cause. 
These  men  did  not,  as  a  rule,  love  the  farmers  who,  for  a  generation, 
had  done  nothing  for  the  country  and  were,  perhaps,  too  severely  blamed 
for  their  inaction — which  was,   after  all    the   direct  result  of  the  social 


62 


PARNELL'S  ROTUNDA  SPEECH. 


slavery  in  which  they  were  sunk.  The  arrests  at  once  appealed  to  the 
sympathies  of  the  townsmen,  and  gave  the  movement  a  political  char- 
acter which  it  had  not  heretofore  possessed.  In  Dublin  this  change 
of  feeling  found  expression  in  a  mass  meeting  in  the  Rotunda.  An 
immense  crowd  attended  and  the  enthusiasm  was  unmistakable.  Mr. 
Parnell  received  a  great  ovation  and  spoke  with  unusual  warmth.  In 
the  course  of  his  speech,  he  said  :  "  Fellow-countrymen,  I  beg  you  to 
remember  there  are  to-night  countrymen  of  yours  suffering  in  prison 
— (hisses) — because  they  attempted  to  show  their  fellow-countrymen  the 
road  to  freedom  (cheers).  Remember  the  voice  of  Michael  Davitt  is 
speaking  to  you  from  his  prison  (cheers).  Hold  up  your  hands  with 
me  and  vow  you  will  not  cease— (great  cheering,  during  which  the 
hands  of  thousands  of  people  were  held  up) — that  you  will  not  cease 
from  this  struggle  until  the  teachings  of  Michael  Davitt,  for  which  he 
has  been  persecuted  to-day,  shall  have  been  carried  out  and  fulfilled  to 
the  very  last  letter." 

This  was  cabled  to  America  and  produced  strong  leeling.  Next  day 
another  meeting  was  held  at  Balla,  County  Mayo,  to  protest  against 
the  first  eviction  since  the  beginning  of  the  agitation,  and  fears  of  a 
collision  with  the  soldiers  and  police  were  entertained.  Thomas  Brennan 
in  his  speech  repeated  the  words  of  Davitt  at  Gurteen,  made  a  strong 
appeal  to  the  Irish  feelings  of  the  police,  and  was  subsequently  arrested. 
Mr.  Parnell  also  spoke  and  in  his  usual  strain.  The  agitation  grew 
bolder  and  spread  with  much  greater  rapidity  in  the  East  and  South, 
Dozens  of  gatherings  were  held  in  various  parts  of  Ireland  every  Sun 
day ;  but  the  character  of  the  speeches  and  resolutions  was  the  same 
and  the  only  new  feature  was  the  organization  of  regular  local  branches 
of  the  Land  League.  After  having  been  committed  for  trial  the  prison- 
ers were  released  on  bail  and  were  enthusiastically  received  throughout 
the  country.  They  attended  meetings  everywhere,  and  some  of  them 
made  a  tour  of  the  manufacturing  towns  of  England  where  the  Irish 
element  was  strong,  addressing  their  countrymen  and  organizing  branches 
of  the  League. 


PARNELL  AND  DILLON  IN  NEW  YORK 


63 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  LAND  WAR  AND  ITS  RESULTS. 

Parnell  and  Dillon  in  America — Hotv  the  American  Land  League  was  Founded — The  Parlia- 
mentary Elections  of  1880 — Davitt's  Second  Visit  to  the  Utiifed  States — His  Return  and 
Arrest — The  Land  Act  and  Coercion — Arrest  of  the  Members  and  the  No  Rent  Manifesto 
—  The  "Treaty  of  Kilmainham"  and  the  Phoenix  Park  Murders — General  Outcome  of  the 
League's  Work — A  New  Ireland. 

TOWARDS  the  end  of  December  Messrs.  Parnell  and  Dillon  set  sail 
for  America,  and  arrived  in  New  York  on  January  2d,  1882.  This 
was  the  most  important  event  in  the  agitation  up  to  that  time.  A 
Reception  Committee,  organized  by  the  Nationalists,  had  been  at  work  for 
some  weeks,  and  contained  a  larger  number  of  representative  Irishmen 
and  well-known  Americans  than  had  ever  taken  part  in  any  previous 
demonstration,  although  Richard  O'Gorman,  Judge  Charles  P.  Daly, 
Eugene  Kelly,  and  other  prominent  Irishmen,  refused  to  take  part  in  it. 
Reception  Committees  thus  organized  formed  the  nuclei  of  the  future 
Land  League  branches  everywhere,  the  initiative  coming  in  all  cases  from 
the  Nationalists.  The  influence  of  these  early  proceedings  on  the  subse- 
quent course  of  the  agitation  will  easily  be  seen.  A  decidedly  National 
tendency  was  given  to  it,  and  the  wealthy  New  York  Irishmen  who 
declined  to  aid  the  reception  committee  lost  their  influence  with  the 
people. 

But,  although  these  gentlemen  refused  to  have  any  share  in  the  pro- 
ceedings, they  were  all  present  at  the  public  reception,  anxiously  listening 
to  the  speeches  of  the  two  envoys.  Between  four  and  five  thousand  of 
the  very  best  Irish  people  in  New  York  City  attended.  A  high  price 
was  charged  for  admission,  and  Madison  Square  Garden,  the  largest  hall 
in  the.  city,  was  selected.  The  reception  accorded  the  Land  League  dele- 
gates by  the  audience  was  most  enthusiastic,  and  they  were  now  fairly 
launched  on   their  mission.     Had   the  New  York   meeting  failed,  their 


64  ASSAILED  BY  THE  AMERICAN  PRESS. 

whole  tour  would  have  been  a  failure,  or  only  a  partial  success,  and  the 
new  organization  in  Ireland  would  have  been  dealt  a  blow  from  which 
it  could  hardly  have  recovered.  Owing  to  a  resolution  passed  by  the 
League  immediately  before  their  departure  from  Ireland,  Messrs.  Parnell 
and  Dillon  were  requested  to  collect  money  for  the  famine-stricken  people, 
and  in  their  first  speeches  they  announced  the  two-fold  purpose  of  their 
mission — to  relieve  the  distress  and  sustain  the  political,  agitation.  The 
result  of  the  meeting  was  the  transmission  by  cable  to  the  treasurers  of 
the  League  in  Dublin  before  the  week  was  out  the  sum  of  ^500 — the 
first  considerable  amount  received  from  any  source.  This  was  speedily 
followed  by  ,£400  from  San  Francisco,  and  from  that  time  the  supply  was 
kept  up  briskly. 

Delegates  from  Boston,  Philadelphia,  Chicago  and  other  cities  attended 
the  New  York  reception  and  made  arrangements  for  a  series  of  meetings, 
and  invitations  poured  in  from  all  parts  of  the  country.  The  envoys 
were  left  no  time  for  repose  or  for  close  examination  of  the  condition 
and  opinions  of  the  Irish  people  settled  in  the  places  they  visited.  This 
was  the  cause  of  many  subsequent  mistakes  and  of  considerable  trouble 
inside  the  movement.  The  most  noisy  people  at  meetings  were  only 
too  frequently  taken  for  the  best  workers,  and  many  unworthy  men  were 
thus  foisted  into  temporary  positions  of  influence. 

Almost  from  the  moment  they  had  landed,  Mr.  Parnell  and  his  col- 
league were  assailed  with  astonishing  virulence  by  a  large  section  of  the 
American  press,  led  by  the  New  York  Herald,  and  their  life  was  one  of 
incessant  combat.  England  has  always  wielded  a  powerful  influence  in 
America;  and  in  New  York  and  other  Atlantic  cities,  where  the  commer- 
cial  and  financial  affairs  of  the  wealthy  class  are  intimately  connected 
with  those  of  England,  this  influence  was  at  that  time  paramount.  It 
was  exerted  to  the  full  against  the  new  agitation,  and  the  scurrility  and 
recklessness  of  statement,  characteristic  of  American  party  warfare,  were 
indulged  in  by  the  hostile  portion  of  the  press,  to  a  degree  seldom  wit- 
nessed in  the  hottest  political  campaign.  The  coldness  or  covert  hostility 
of  the  wealthy  Irish  of  New  York  encouraged  these  practices,  and  the 
mettle  and  capacity  of  the  envoys  were  severely  tested.  Their  relief  fund 
had  been  the  first  in  the  field,  and  it  was  through  their  exertions,  and 
those  of  the  other  League  leaders,  that  the  very  existence  of  famine  was 


RIVAL  RELIEF  FUNDS. 


65 


established  in  the  public  mind.  But  those  who  had  fought  hardest  to 
prove  that  there  was  no  distress  at  all,  and  to  prevent  Parliament  from 
relieving  it,  now  came  forward  with  the  cry  of  charity  on  their  lips  to 
appeal  for  help  for  the  starving  people.  The  Land  League  Relief  Fund 
was  denounced  as  an  unwarrantable  misuse  of  charity  for  political  pur- 
poses ;  but,  admitting  the  political  character  of  the  committee,  the  other 
funds  were  still  worse  instances  of  the  same  thing,  inasmuch  as  they 
forced  the  distressed  people  to  humiliate  themselves  by  seeking  help  from 
their  bitterest  political  enemies  and  oppressors.  The  Duchess  of  Marl- 
borough, wife  of  the  Lord  Lieutenant,  was  placed  nominally  at  the  head 
of  one  Relief  Fund,  which  was  really  controlled  by  the  Castle  officials, 
and  the  Mansion-House  Fund,  under  the  Presidency  of  E.  D.  Gray, 
M.P.,  then  Lord  Mayor  of  Dublin,  while  much  less  hostile  to  the 
people,  owing  to  a  mixture  of  elements  on  the  committee,  was  yet  almost 
exclusively  managed  by  enemies  of  the  agitation.  The  New  York 
Herald  Fund,  although  unquestionably  intended  to  relieve  the  distress, 
had  also  the  unmistakable  object  of  discrediting  Parnell  and  Dillon  by 
lessening  the  receipts  of  the  Land  League  Fund.  Perhaps  the  general 
result  of  all  this  rivalry  was  the  distribution  of  much  larger  sums  among 
the  distressed  people  and  the  simulation  of  distress  by  many  not  really 
in  need,  with  the  demoralization  which  such  practices  never  fail  to  bring. 
In  America  the  Land   League  Relief  Fund  exceeded  all  the  others, 

o  7 

and  this  had  much  to  do  with  the  future  success  of  the  movement  in 
Ireland.  The  branch  of  the  Dublin  Mansion-House  Fund  established  in 
New  York  by  Messrs.  Daly  and  O'Gorman,  with  -the  Trustees  of  the 
Emigrant  Savings  Bank,  organized  with  a  similar  object  of  diverting 
money  from  the  Land-League  Fund,  fell  flat,  and  the  committee  soon 
after  dissolved. 

After  a  hurried  tour  through  a  great  portion  of  the  United  States 
and  a  visit  of  a  few  days  to  Canada,  the  news  of  a  dissolution  of  Parlia- 
ment called  Mr.  Parnell  back  to  Ireland.  He  had  been  honored  by  a 
reception  on  the  floor  of  Congress  and  by  several  State  Legislatures ;  had 
succeeded  in  transmitting  to  Ireland  a  large  sum  of  money  for  relief; 
had  beaten  the  enemies  of  the  Land  League  everywhere  he  had  gone, 
and  his  reputation  and  influence  had  been  enormously  increased.  A  man 
of  peculiarly  cold  manner  and  English  aspect  and  accent,  he  evoked  no 


66 


PARNELL  AND  THE  AMERICAN  IRISH. 


warmth  of  feeling  among  the  highly  sympathetic  and  impressionable  Irish- 
men with  whom  he  had  come  in  contact ;  but  yet  he  had  won  their  con- 
fidence to  a  degree  never  attained  by  any  of  the  numerous  envoys  sent 
from  Ireland  during  the  previous  twenty  years.  Contact  with  the  essen- 
tially practical  Americans  has  given  the  Irish  settled  in  the  United  States 
a  strong  turn  in  the  same  direction,  and  the  hard  ordeal  through  which 
so  many  of  them  have  climbed  to  a  position  of  prosperity  has  intensified 
this  quality.  What  they  look  for  in  an  Irish  leader  is  the  quality  of 
mind  that  will  fit  him  to  cope  with  the  hard-headed,  stolid  and  persever- 
ing Englishman,  and  they  thought  they  saw  in  the  calm,  apparently 
passionless,  clear-headed  and  relentless  leader  of  the  Land  League  the 
man  for  whose  advent  they  had  been  long  waiting.  He  had  borne  him- 
self through  a  trying  ordeal  with  admirable  tact  and  judgment,  and  even 
his  few  mistakes  were  due  to  his  remorseless  method  of  acting  only  from 
his  judgment  of  the  facts  he  saw  with  his  own  eyes.  Had  he  been  able 
to  spend  even  six  months  in  America,  it  is  probable  he  would  have 
gauged  the  situation  more  accurately,  but  it  was  only  ten  weeks  after 
his  arrival  that  he  set  sail  for  Ireland  to  take  charge  of  the  electoral 
campaign. 

Wishing  to  give  permanent  shape  to  the  Land  movement  in  America 
before  he  sailed  for  home,  he  called  a  hurried  meeting  at  the  New  York 
Hotel,  where  his  mother  and  sisters  were  stopping,  and  the  American 
branch  of  the  organization  was  formally  founded  during  the  hurry  of  the 
preparations  on  the  day  of  his  departure.  Convened  without  much  refer- 
ence to  the  fitness  of  the  individuals  for  the  work  in  hand,  it  contained 
elements  of  confusion,  which  a  more  careful  examination  would  have 
eliminated,  and  the  half-suppressed  strife  there  exhibited  smouldered  only 
for  a  time,  and  finally  prepared  the  way  for  disorganization  and  disunion. 
The  Nationalists  were  in  a  majority  and  dominated  the  meeting ;  but 
there  were  other  elements  there,  by  Mr.  Parnell's  special  invitation,  which, 
though  always  in  a  minority,  ever  after  kept  up  such  a  continual  conflict 
about  measures  and  men,  but  especially  the  latter,  as  to  paralyze  the 
League  and  prepare  the  way  for  a  new  factor  in  the  movement,  which 
will  be  dealt  with  later  on. 

At  this  meeting  Mr.  T.  M.  Healy,  then  Mr.  Parnell's  private  secretary, 
afterwards  Member  of  Parliament  for  Wexford,  and  one  of  the  best  known 


STIMULATING  IRISH- A M ERICA X  FACTIOXS. 


67 


leaders  of  the  League,   was  first  brought  prominently  forward.  Although 
a  central  office  had  been   organized   in  New  York  before  Mr.  Parnell's 
departure  for  the  West,  under  the  direct  superintendence  of  Miss  Anna 
Parnell,  afterwards   President   of   the    Ladies    Land    League  of  Ireland, 
the   work   of  attending   to   the    Relief  Fund   and  the   political  agita- 
tion, with   the  correspondence  between  Mr.   Parnell  and  the  local  com- 
mittees,   had   become    mixed    up    to   such    an    extent    that    a  change 
was   found   necessary.     Mr.   Parnell   cabled   to   London  for  Mr.  Healy 
to  come  out  and  accompany  him   in  his   tour  as  his  private  secretary, 
keeping  up  correspondence  with  the  local  committees  himself.    At  the 
New  York  Hotel   meeting,  he   submitted   a   draft  of  a  plan  of  organ- 
ization, approved  of  by  Mr.  Parnell,  the  principal  feature  of  which  was 
that  branch  leagues   should   be  grouped    by  States,   each   State  being 
independent  and  holding  direct  communication  with  the  Dublin  Execu- 
tive.   The  significance  of   the  proposition  was  at  once  recognized  by  a 
few  of  those  present ;  but  in  the  hurry  of  the  moment  the  majority  did 
not  see  it.    It  was  to  be  a  great  centralized  movement,  ruled  and  admin- 
istered from  Dublin,  and  the  strings  to  be  kept  in  a  few  hands  there. 
Not  knowing  what  changes  might  occur  in  the  programme  or  the  leader- 
ship at  home,  through  possible  coercion  and  consequent  imprisonment, 
the  Nationalists  present  offered  this  part  of  the  proposal  a  strenuous 
opposition,    insisting   on    an    American    organization   with    an  American 
Executive,  and  they  finally  carried  their  point.    They  saw  in  the  propo- 
sition a  desire — with  which  they  had  become  familiar  during  the  Fenian 
movement — to  keep  the  American  Irish  divided,  so  as  to  use  one  faction 
against  the   other,   and  enable  the  party  for  the  moment  dominant  at 
home  to  exercise  absolute  control.    Tired  of   petty   factions   and  their 
quarrels,  they  had  a  broader  conception  of  the  movement,  and  wanted 
the  creation  of  an  American  body  that  would  keep  down  faction  on  their 
side  of  the  Atlantic,  and  discourage   its  growth   on   the  other.  "While 
looking  to  eventual  Separation  from  England,  they  saw  clearly  the  neces- 
sity of  building  up  local  administrative  bodies  in  Ireland,  and  organizing 
the  scattered  political  forces  of  the  people  before  even  a  much  more 
moderate  solution  of  the  Irish  question  than  they  sought  could  be  arrived 
at.    Although   they  carried   their   point,  and   ever  after   controlled  the 
greater  portion  of  the  movement  in  America,  the  encouragement  given 


68  PARNELL  ELECTED  PARLIAMENTARY  LEADER. 

from  Dublin  to  petty  factious  leaders  soon  resulted  in  an  open  rupture. 
Factions  were  developed  which,  in  their  strife  for  the  control  of  the 
movement,  appealed,  with  every  remittance  of  funds,  for  the  indorsement 
of  certain  opinions  and  action,  and  thus  sowed  the  seeds  of  future  dis- 
union in  Ireland. 

What  led  to  this  action  on  the  part  of  the  home  leaders  was  a  settled 
belief  that  the  Nationalists  of  America  really  sought  to  force  the  move- 
ment into  a  premature  physical  struggle  for  Separation.  They  thought 
that  by  balancing  their  influence  with  that  of  others,  which  to  them 
seemed  conservative,  they  would  be  saving  Ireland  from  bloodshed  and 
disaster.  Yet,  through  the  whole  course  of  the  agitation,  the  American 
Nationalists  formed  the  one  strong,  conservative  and  restraining  force  in 
the  movement,  and,  while  unquestionably  aiming  at  revolution,  kept 
the  Land  League  from  measures  likely  to  end  in  conflicts  that  might 
produce  premature  insurrection.  And  when  Mr.  Parnell  had  to  deal  with 
extremists  of  another  kind,  who  wanted  to  change  the  whole  character  of 
the  agitation,  they  were  the  men  who  first  rallied  to  his  support. 

This  conference  over,  Mr.  Parnell  departed  for  Ireland,  leaving  Mr. 
Dillon  to  represent  him.  He  was  soon  in  the  thick  of  the  Parliamentary 
campaign.  Although  the  contest  in  Ireland  was  apparently  between  the 
Government  and  the  Land  League,  it  was  on  the  Home-Rule  pledge, 
with  a  promise,  not  always  very  clearly  given,  of  advocating  the  rights 
of  the  Irish  farmers,  that  the  Members  outside  of  Ulster  were  elected. 
The  result  was  the  sending  of  a  number  of  men  to  Parliament  of  very 
conflicting  views,  and  many  of  them  of  very  doubtful  political  character. 
Out  of  some  sixty  nominal  Home  Rulers,  a  majority  were  found  to  vote 
at  a  meeting  of  the  party  for  the  substitution  of  Parnell  for  Shaw,  who 
had  temporarily  filled  the  place  vacated  by  the  death  of  Isaac  Butt,  as 
leader  of  the  Home-Rule  party  in  Parliament.  Parnell  thus  became 
the  publicly  acknowledged  leader  of  the  Irish  people. 

The  Irish  Members  of  Parliament  were  nominally  divided  into  three 
groups :  The  Home  Rulers,  the  "  Liberals,"  or  old  Whigs,  and  the 
Tories ;  but  the  so-called  Home  Rulers  were  really  two  distinct  parties 
connected  by  a  very  slender  bond  of  union,  and  only  prevented  from 
separating  by  strong  pressure  from  their  constituents.  The  "  moder- 
ate" wing  of  the  party  were  simply  Whigs  who   feared   to   face  their 


REMARKABLE  CHANGE  OF  FEELING  IN  ULSTER. 


69 


constituents  with  an  honest  avowal  of  their  opinions,  and  from  the  very 
start  they  secretly  did  their  best  to  thwart  the  plans  of  the  party.  Mr. 
Shaw  was  still  their  real  leader,  and  later  in  the  contest  they  openly 
seceded.  The  avowed  Whigs  were  an  insignificant  group  who  slipped  in 
here  and  there  by  narrow  majorities,  owing  to  the  difficulty  of  finding 
candidates  acceptable  to  the  people,  and  who  could  afford  to  live  in 
London.  With  the  exception  of  Mr.  Charles  Russell,  whose  views  on 
the  Land  question  were  only  a  little  less  advanced  than  those  of  the 
Land  League,  they  were  men  of  mediocre  ability  and  doubtful  political 
character.  The  Tories  were  principally  from  Ulster ;  but  in  that  strong- 
hold of  Toryism  the  party  lost  many  seats,  and  nearly  all  those  elected 
were  obliged  to  pledge  themselves  to  a  strong  measure  of  Tenant  Right. 

The  mind  of  Ulster  was  moving,  old  party  ties  were  being  loosened, 
and  the  old  Orang-e  war  cries  were  fast  losing  their  influence.  Orange- 
men  had  become  accustomed  to  march  side  by  side  with  their  Catholic 
neighbors  to  the  land  meetings,  and  listened  approvingly  to  speeches  in 
which  there  was  as  much  about  Irish  Nationality  as  Land  Reform  ;  and 
the  barriers  of  sectarian  prejudice  were  fast  giving  way.  The  Protestants 
of  the  North  saw  with  amazement  three  Catholic  constituencies  elect  Mr. 
Parnell,  a  Protestant,  as  their  representative,  and  an  Ulster  Presbyterian 
minister,  the  Rev.  Isaac  Nelson,  chosen  in  his  place  for  one  of  them 
after  he  had  made  his  selection.  They  saw  the  cases  of  Protestant 
farmers  attended  to  by  the  Land  League,  even  when  they  were  not 
members  of  that  organization,  just  as  carefully  as  those  of  the  Catholics, 
and  they  began  to  realize,  what  was  always  the  fact,  that  Irish  Catholics 
had  no  prejudice  against  a  Protestant  whose  political  sympathies  were 
with  them.  Striking  proofs  they  had  got  of  this  before,  from  the  days  of 
the  United  Irishmen  down  to  their  own;  but  they  had  disregarded  them. 
The  Land  League  brought  it  home  to  their  very  doors.  The  influence 
of  this  change  of  feeling  was  seen  in  a  later  stage  of  the  movement. 

The  sweeping  victory  of  the  Liberals  in  the  elections  in  England  and 
Scotland,  largely  due  to  the  Irish  vote  in  the  large  towns,  brought  Mr. 
Gladstone  to  power,  and  the  new  Ministry  contained  a  larger  Radical 
and  advanced  "  Liberal "  representation  than  had  ever  been  known  in 
England  before.  Bright,  Chamberlain,  Forster  and  Fawcett  had  all 
places   in   it,   and   as  the   Premier  had,  while  in   opposition  during  the 


7° 


GLADSTONE'S  HESITATING  POLICY. 


Beaconsfield  administration,  been  carrying  on  a  vigorous  campaign  of  a 
decidedly  Radical  tendency,  it  was  natural  that  great  expectations  should 
be  formed  as  to  their  Irish  policy.  These  expectations  were  doomed  to 
disappointment,  and  no  Ministry,  Whig  or  Tory,  since  the  Union,  ever 
had  such  difficulties  with  Ireland,  or  did  more  to  exasperate  and  embitter 
the  feelings  of  the  people  against  English  rule. 

English  politics  had  been  gradually  undergoing  a  great  change,  the 
beginnings  only  of  which  were  seen  in  the  result  of  the  elections  of  1880. 
Instead  of  two  great  parties,  the  English  Parliament  began  to  be  divided 
into  several  independent  groups,  and  the  Cabinet  was  no  longer  a 
homogeneous  body  It  contained  serious  elements  of  division  on  the 
Irish  question  ;  but,  as  the  landlords  were  in  a  majority,  the  few  doctrin- 
aire Radicals,  who  had  places  in  it,  were  unable  to  carry  through  even 
the  halting  and  hesitating  measure  of  Land  reform  they  favored.  The 
result  was  inaction,  doubt,  hesitation,  while  a  volcano  was  smouldering 
beneath  their  feet. 

Ireland  was  growing  worse  from  day  to  day.  A  great  portion  of  her 
people  were  starving,  or  living  on  the  charity  of  the  outside  world,  and 
her  appeals  for  the  removal  of  the  famine-producing  system  maintained 
by  foreign  bayonets,  produced  no  effect.  The  land  meetings  went  on, 
money  came  freely  from  America,  and  the  relief  of  a  considerable  portion 
of  the  distress  gave  the  Land  League  a  firm  hold  on  popular  sympathy. 
The  Executive  drew  up  a  Land  Bill  to  be  submitted  to  Parliament,  not 
with  any  hope  of  its  being  favorably  received,  but  simply  to  force  the 
question  on  the  attention  of  the  House,  and  to  place  the  responsibility 
more  directly  upon  it.  It  shared  the  fate  of  all  such  measures.  The 
obstructive  scenes  were  renewed  on  a  much  larger  scale,  and  the 
attention  of  the  world  was  fixed  on  Ireland.  At  last,  stung  into  action 
by  the  taunts  of  the  Irish  members  and  the  threatening  attitude  of  the 
people,  the  Government,  in  July,  1880,  brought  in  the  "Compensation 
for  Disturbance  Bill,"  with  a  view  to  lessening  the  horrors  of  eviction 
and  putting  some  restraint  on  the  merciless  landlords.  After  a  succession 
of  stormy  debates,  it  finally  passed  the  House  of  Commons,  shorn  of 
much  of  its  original  character,  only  to  be  rejected  by  the  Lords. 

There  were  muttered  threats  in  England  against  the  Upper  House, 
and   some  of    the   newspapers   discussed   its  abolition.     Mr.  Gladstone, 


FROM  RADICAL  PROFESSIONS  TO  COERCION. 


7i 


during  the  debate,  had  predicted  the  eviction  of  15,000  people  if  the  bill 
should  not  be  passed  ;  and,  in  one  of  his  oratorical  flourishes,  pronounced 
eviction  "  equivalent  to  a  sentence  of  starvation."  Bright,  Chamberlain 
and  Forster,  both  in  the  debate  and  in  public  speeches  outside  the 
House,  warned  the  country  and  the  aristocracy  of  the  consequences  of 
refusing  such  a  small  instalment  of  justice,  and,  in  a  threatening  tone, 
placed  the  responsibility  on  the  House  of  Lords  and  the  Irish  landlords. 
They  resisted  the  clamor  for  coercion,  and  used  the  strongest  arguments 
to  denounce  it.  "  Force  is  no  remedy,"  was  their  motto  for  the  moment, 
and  the  outside  world  imagined  that  Ireland  and  England  were  about  to 
begin  a  new  era  of  peace  and  conciliation.  No  one  would  have  thought 
that  these  very  men  were  about  to  bring  in  the  most  drastic  and 
stringent  Coercion  Bill  passed  by  any  British  Parliament  since  the 
Union,  and  that  the  most  violent  opponents  of  repression  were  to  become 
its  sturdiest  champions.  John  Bright,  in  the  course  of  a  few  short  weeks, 
seemed  to  have  abandoned  the  convictions  of  a  life-time,  and  William  E. 
Forster,  then  Chief  Secretary  for  Ireland,  who  had  gone  as  the  agent  of 
Quaker  charity  to  relieve  the  victims  of  famine  in  1847,  seemed  to  have 
developed  a  hatred  of  the  Irish  race  that  could  only  be  appeased  by 
blood. 

Mr.  Forster  had  probably  gone  to  Ireland  actuated  by  the  best 
motives,  and  with  a  genuine  desire  to  do  as  much  for  the  Irish  people 
as  was  consistent  with  the  British  connection.  But  he  had  the  failing 
that  all  Englishmen  who  have  ever  filled  the  same  position  have  had, 
viz.,  ignorance  of  Ireland,  coupled  with  a  dogged  belief  that  he  knew 
better  what  was  for  the  good  of  the  Irish  than  they  did  themselves.  He 
soon  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Castle  clique — the  men  who  had  managed 
and  ruled  every  Chief-Secretary  and  Lord-Lieutenant  for  generations,  no 
matter  what  party  happened  to  be  in  power  in  London.  Anglo-Irishmen 
who  had  been  trained  in  the  belief  that  it  was  necessary  to  keep  the 
Irish  down,  to  repress  the  growth  of  national  thought  and  to  aid  the 
landlord  garrison  by  every  means  in  their  power  in  rooting  the  people  out, 
or  renegade  Nationalists  who  had  gone  over  to  the  Government  for  place 
and  pension,  then  held  the  reins  of  the  Irish  administration  in  their 
hands,  and  used  it  solely  for  the  benefit  of  their  friends  and  political 
partisans.    Before  the   Lord-Lieutenant  or  the   Chief-Secretary  could  do 


7-1 


THE  NEW  YORK  CONVENTION. 


I 


anything,  they  had  to  be  consulted;  all  official  information  was  filtered 
through  their  hands,  and  colored  to  suit  the  interests  of  the  clique. 
They  carried  out  all  orders  as  they  thought  proper,  and,  as  they  knew 
the  country  and  the  people  thoroughly,  it  was  an  utter  impossibility  for 
the  most  intelligent  Englishman,  acting  for  the  Government,  to  avoid,  so 
long  as  the  system  lasted,  being  completely  in  their  hands.  Forster  only 
shared  the  fate  of  his  predecessors,  and  his  utter  failure  was  due  chiefly 
to  the  fact  that  he  had  a  new  Ireland  to  deal  with. 

Leaving  the  agitation  in  Ireland  and  the  relief  of  the  distressed, 
which  went  on  without  any  new  feature  during  the  summer,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  return  to  America  for  a  brief  space  to  note  the  progress  of 
events  there.  Michael  Davitt  determined  to  again  visit  the  United 
States,  where  John  Dillon  had  continued  his  tour,  for  the  purpose  of 
continuing  the  work  of  organization  and  helping  to  increase  the  supply 
of  funds.  He  arrived  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  first  convention  of  the 
American  Land  League,  held  in  Trenor  Hall,  New  York,  May  18,  in 
company  with  Dillon.  It  was  not  a  large  gathering,  only  about 
fifty  men  being  present ;  but  it  contained  many  highly  representative 
men,  and  its  work  had  a  wide  influence.  Among  those  present  were 
John  Boyle  O'Reilly,  of  the  Boston  Pilot;  P.  A.  Collins,  afterwards  Pres- 
ident of  one  wing  of  the  American  Land  League ;  Rev.  Lawrence  Walsh, 
afterwards  Treasurer;  Rev.  T.  Cronin,  of  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  editor  of  the 
Catholic  Union;  John  C.  McGuire,  President  of  the  Brooklyn  Leagues; 
Dr.  William  B.  Wallace,  President  of  the  New  York  City  Leagues,  and 
many  lawyers,  priests  and  other  well  known  men  from  various  parts  of 
the  country.    Among  the  resolutions  passed  were  the  following  : 

"Resolved,  That  we  regard  the  present  system  of  land  tenure  in  Ire- 
land as  one  of  the  chief  causes  of  famine,  and  of  the  chronic  poverty 
and  oppression  which  prevails  in  that  country. 

"Resolved,  That  the  National  Land  League  of  Ireland,  having  ap- 
pealed to  the  Irish  of  America  to  assist  them  in  removing  the  cause  of 
poverty,  we  hereby  pledge  the  earnest  co-operation  of  this  organization 
to  the  Irish  Land  League,  in  the  work  of  abolishing  the  present  English 
land  system,  and  establishing  a  peasant  proprietary  in  Ireland. 

"Resolved,  That,  while  prepared  to  aid  the  Irish  Land  League  to  the 
utmost  of  our  ability,  we  desire  to  place  on  record  our  conviction  that 


DIFFICULTIES  OF  THE  CENTRAL  COUNCIL. 


7.3 


the  kindred  interests  of  manufacturing,  mining,  fisheries,  and  commerce  are 
also  being  protracted  by  deliberate  and  wickedly  selfish  restrictive  legisla- 
tion, and  that  poverty  must  remain  the  normal  condition  of  the  Irish  peo- 
ple until  they  regain  the  power  to  regulate  and  protect  these  interests." 

The  last  one  was  passed  on  a  recommendation  contained  in  an  able 
letter  from  an  Irish  Presbyterian  clergyman,  Rev.  Robert  Ellis  Thompson, 
Professor  in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania.  In  reference  to  it  Mr. 
Davitt  in  the  course  of  his  address  said:  "By  your  action  to-day  you 
have  widened  the  programme  outlined  by  the  Land  League  in  Ireland ; 
but,  although  we  omitted  the  industrial  question  from  the  movement,  it 
was  not  because  we  were  unaware  of  its  importance,  or  of  the  evils 
which  Ireland's  commerce  suffers  through  unjust  laws.  I  can  assure  you 
now,  that  the  addition  which  you  have  made  to  the  platform  to-day  will 
be  accepted  by  the  Irish  people  on  the  other  side.  As  the  movement  for 
the  abolition  of  the  Irish  la?idlord  system  was  first  started  here,  I  am 
glad  that  this  later  addition  to  it  is  made  here  also." 

The  convention  adjourned  after  electing  a  Council,  with  Davitt  as 
Secretary.  He  agreed  to  take  the  position  for  a  time  only,  so  as  to  put 
the  organization  into  proper  shape,  and  then  proposed  to  return  to  Ire- 
land. A  central  office  was  opened,  and  he  began  the  work  of  communi- 
cating with  the  branches.  The  success  at  first  achieved  was  far  from 
encouraging,  as  the  organization  was  too  new  to  accomplish  more  than 
the  occasional  collection  of  a  little  money  which  was,  in  most  cases,  for- 
warded direct  to  Dublin,  as  it  flattered  the  vanity  of  local  officers  to  be 
in  personal  communication  with  the  heads  of  the  movement  at  home.  It 
required  time  to  weld  it  together  and  to  give  it  a  working  system  ;  but, 
before  that  could  be  accomplished,  elements  of  disunion  and  future  disin- 
tegration were  at  work,  and  resulted  in  splitting  the  organization  into 
two  large  factions  and  a  number  of  local  bodies  unattached  to  any  par- 
ticular party. 

On  the  Sunday  after  his  arrival  Davitt  was  tendered  a  reception  in 
Jones'  Wood,  New  York,  by  the  city  Land  Leagues.  About  fifteen 
hundred  people  attended,  and  this  was  then  nearly  the  full  strength  of 
the  organization.    In  his  address  he  used  the  following  words  : 

"  The  problem  before  us,  when  we  organized,  was  simple,  and  our 
platform  contains  this  single  plank — the  destruction    of  landlordism  and 

K 


74 


DA  VI TT  AND   THE  NATIONALISTS. 


the  winning  of  the  land  for  the  people,  to  whom  it  belongs.  The  Irish 
League  includes  all  parties — Nationalists,  Moderates,  Home  Rulers,  Re- 
pealers, and  all  sects — Catholics  and  Protestants  meeting  in  council  to 
work  until  Ireland's  social  rights  are  won  and  her  enemy  struck  down 
forever.  We  work  by  teaching  peasants  and  all  people  that  the  land 
was  made  for  them,  and  not  for  ten  thousand  lazy  Englishmen  ;  that,  if 
they  allowed  themselves  to  be  trampled  upon,  they  are  worthy  of 
oppression,  and  that  they  are  to  rely  on  themselves  alone  and  not 
upon  foreign  or  hostile  legislators." 

Chafing  under  the  inaction  to  which  he  was  reduced  in  the  "  central 
office,"  Davitt  at  last  determined  to  make  a  tour  through  the  States  to 
stir  up  the  sluggish  branches  and  organize  new  ones.  Above  all  the 
Land  League  leaders,  he  never  hesitated  at  assuming  responsibility,  or 
acting;  against  the  wishes  of  his  colleagues,  if  he  deemed  the  action 
necessary  for  the  good  of  the  movement.  He  was  very  liable  to  act  from 
impulse,  and  at  this  time  began  to  be  very  much  under  the  influence 
of  Patrick  Ford,  of  the  Irish  World.  It  was  felt  by  his  friends  that  he 
disliked  being  under  the  necessity  of  consulting  the  Council,  and  that  he 
deemed  it  somewhat  of  a  nuisance,  He  certainly  encouraged  the  sending 
of  money  direct  to  Ireland  by  the  branches,  or  groups  of  branches,  and 
issued  a  circular,  on  his  own  responsibility,  giving  instructions  to  that 
effect.    This  had  much  to  do  with  the  subsequent  disunion. 

During  his  stay  in  New  York,  Davitt  had  frequent  conferences  with 
the  leading  Nationalists,  a  majority  of  whom  stood  by  him  against  the 
attacks  of  a  number  of  his  old  associates  at  home.  In  the  condition  in 
which  the  Land  League  then  was,  this  support  meant  its  salvation  from 
destruction,  and  very  extreme  measures  were  used  by  the  American 
Nationalists  to  curb  the  hostility  manifested  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Atlantic.  They  expected  in  return  that  Davitt  would  aid  them  in  build- 
ing up  a  movement  in  America,  that,  while  not  pushing  the  leaders  in 
Ireland  beyond  the  programme  they  had  adopted,  might,  on  the  fulfill- 
ment of  that  programme,  undertake  the  task  of  winning  Self-Government 
for  Ireland.  Davitt  made  solemn  pledges  to  carry  out  this  programme, 
and  on  the  strength  of  these  pledges  received  the  united  support  of  the 
Nationalist  organizations  in  his  tour  through  the  States.  They  helped 
him   to  organize   branches,  and   in   most    cases   were   the   officers  and 


A   TOUR  OF  ORGANIZATION. 


7  5 


principal  workers.  They  were  not  alone  the  men  most  familiar  with  Irish 
affairs,  but  in  many  cases  the  most  prominent  Irishmen  in  their  local- 
ities. They  were  frequently  officers  in  other  societies,  and  no  other 
organized  body  of  Irishmen  in  America  held  so  many  positions  of  influ- 
ence on  the  press,  in  the  legal  and  medical  professions,  in  commerce,  in 
State  Legislatures  and  city  councils,  and  a  few  had  even  found  their  way 
into  the  United  States  Congress.  He  also  got  considerable  help  from 
the  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians,  and  the  notices  of  his  public  meetings, 
published  in  the  Irish  World,  were  of  immense  service.  This  helped  to 
make  that  journal,  to  a  great  extent,  the  organ  of  the  movement  and 
largely  increased  its  sale. 

He  made  a  much  more  extended  tour  than  on  his  first  visit ;  but  the 
continued  travelling  and  incessant  speaking  finally  broke  him  down,  and 
he  was  laid  up  for  over  ten  days  with  a  severe  attack  of  nervous  fever 
in  Omaha,  Neb.  On  his  recovery,  he  continued  his  tour  till  he  reached 
San  Francisco,  where  he  received  an  enthusiastic  ovation  frpm  the  Irish 
societies.  He  was  very  successful  in  organizing  branches  of  the  League, 
and  in  infusing  new  life  into  the  movement,  and  made,  perhaps,  a  better 
impression  on  men  hitherto  unconnected  with  Irish  movements  than  any 
man  who  had  ever  come  from  Ireland  on  such  a  mission.  Among  those 
who  were  particularly  struck  with  him  was  Mackay,  the  famous  Irish 
millionaire,  whom  he  met  in  Virginia  City,  Nevada,  and  who  showed 
him  the  most  marked  attention. 

Returning  to  New  York,  he  devoted  his  attention  to  the  local 
branches  of  the  League,  and  a  series  of  enthusiastic  meetings  were  held 
to  hear  him  speak.  Things  were  growing  hot  in  Ireland,  and  Irish 
Americans  were  becoming  stirred  up  as  they  had  not  been  for  many 
years.  Almost  every  one  of  the  ward  meetings  he  attended,  supplied  him 
with  as  large  an  audience  as  greeted  him  in  Jones'  Wood  on  his  arrival. 
Dillon  had  in  the  meantime  returned  to  Ireland,  and  the  Government 
had  determined  to  prosecute  the  leaders.  This  was  just  the  stimulus 
that  Irish-America  wanted,  and  it  bore  good  fruit  in  the  meetings  and  in 
the  receipts.  Davitt,  in  spite  of  the  remonstrances  of  his  friends,  deter- 
mined to  return  and  take  his  share  in  the  prosecutions,  and  on  the  eve 
of  his  departure  addressed  a  large  meeting  in  the  Cooper  Institute, 
organized  by  the  Ladies'  Land  League,  a  new  branch  of  the  organization 


76 


THE  COERCION  ACT. 


started  by  Miss  Fanny  Parnell,  and  destined  afterwards  to  perform  a 
very  important  part  in  the  agitation. 

Arriving  in  Queenstown  on  Nov.  20,  he  lost  no  time  in  raising  his 
voice  against  the  outrages  which  had  begun  to  assume  alarming  propor- 
tions, although  not  a  tithe  of  those  reported  by  the  police  had  actually 
occurred,  and  he  continued  to  vigorously  push  the  agitation.  The  prose- 
cution of  his  colleagues  also  engrossed  his  attention  and  he  bore  a  con- 
siderable part  in  preparing  the  defense.  After  twenty-eight  days  of  tedious 
speech-making  and  examination  of  witnesses,  the  trial  ended  on  Jan.  21st, 
1 88 1,  by  the  jury  disagreeing.  A  juror  stated  there  were  ten  for  acquittal 
and  two  for  conviction.  This  was  the  Government's  excuse  for  introduc- 
ing the  Coercion  Act. 

The  question  of  coercion  had  been  discussed  in  the  English  press 
and  by  every  public  speaker  in  England  for  many  months,  and  it  was 
plain  to  any  one  who  watched  the  drift  of  public  opinion  that  it  could 
not  much  longer  be  delayed.  With  the  exception  of  a  few  able  Radi- 
cals, like  Joseph  Cowen,  Member  for  Newcastle-on-Tyne,  and  proprietor 
of  the  Newcastle  Chronicle,  Henry  Labouchere,  editor  of  Truth,  and 
some  men  of  lesser  note,  all  England  was  crying  out  for  it.  The  only 
question  with  some  Liberals  was  whether  it  ought  to  precede  or  to 
follow  a  Land  Bill.  It  was  quite  clear  that  Mr.  Gladstone  and  his  col- 
leagues were  as  much  solicitous  to  prevent  the  Tories  outbidding  them 
for  popular  favor  as  for  the  settlement  of  the  Irish  difficulty,  and  in 
introducing  the  Coercion  Bill  first  in  order,  they  silenced  for  the  moment 
the  clamor  of  their  opponents.  The  measure  was  introduced  on  January 
24th,  1881,  and  was  entitled  "A  Bill  for  the  Protection  of  Life  and  Pro- 
perty in  Ireland."  Every  English  Coercion  Bill  for  Ireland  has  been 
called  by  a  false  name,  and  introduced  and  defended  by  speeches  full  of 
false  pretences  and  misrepresentation  of  facts.  In  the  present  instance, 
nearly  all  the  worst  features  of  all  similar  measures  which  preceded  it 
were  combined,  and  the  false  pretences  and  perversion  of  the  truth 
which  characterized  the  speeches  of  former  Ministers,  were  all  concen- 
trated into  one  shameless  and  unblushing  tissue  of  falsehood  in  the  state- 
ment of  the  reasons  for  resorting  to  coercion  and  the  uses  to  which  it 
was  to  be  applied.  The  information  supplied  by  local  police  officers  to 
the  landlord  magistrates  and  carefully  colored  by  the  Castle  clique,  was 


DRIVIXG  DISLOYALTY  BEXEATH  THE  SURE  ACE. 


77 


in  all  cases  the  only  evidence  supplied,  and  no  testimony  given  against  it 
had  the  slightest  effect.  The  various  acts  committed  in  one  outrage 
were  often  counted  as  distinct  affairs,  and  in  one  instance,  at  least,  the 
number  of  holes  made  in  a  window  by  firing  a  gun  loaded  with  shot, 
were  put  down  as  so  many  separate  '*  outrages "  committed  in  the 
county.  Both  Gladstone  and  Forster  pledged  themselves  that  the  Act 
would  onlv  be  used  against  those  committing  or  inciting--  to  outrages — 
"  village  tvrants  and  dissolute  ruffians,"  the  Chief-Secretarv  called  them 
— but  that  open,  legitimate  agitation  should  not  be  interfered  with.  Yet 
during  the  long  period  of  its  duration  it  was  only  the  Parliamentary 
representatives  and  trusted  leaders  of  the  people,  shopkeepers,  farmers, 
editors,  and  lawyers,  all  men  of  irreproachable  character,  who  were 
confined  under  its  provisions  ;  and  while  the  whole  force  of  the  Govern- 
ment was  used  to  put  down  the  agitation  by  suppressing  public  meet- 
ings, they  were  utterly  powerless  to  prevent  or  punish  outrages,  which 
multiplied  in  proportion  as  the  safety  valve  of  public  agitation  was  re- 
moved. "We  must  drive  disloyalty  beneath  the  surface,"  said  Earl 
Spencer,  the  Lord-Lieutenant,  in  a  public  speech,  and  this  was  precisely 
the  effect  of  the  Coercion  Act. 

The  Irish  Members  resisted  its  passage  through  Parliament  with 
great  vigor  and  ability,  and  several  scenes  of  a  most  exciting  nature  took 
place;  but  in  a  few  weeks  the  bill  became  law.  In  the  course  of  the 
resistance  in  Parliament,  the  Irish  Members  received  the  announcement 
of  Davitt's  arrest  and  recommittal  to  a  convict  prison,  and  the  result  was 
a  scene  which  ended  in  the  forcible  removal  of  Parnell  and  his  sup- 
porters from  the  House.  Despotic  action  by  the  speaker,  and  the 
adoption  of  arbitral*}*  rules  of  debate  followed ;  and  although  the  tem- 
porarily expelled  Members  returned  to  their  places,  the  resistance  was 
practically  at  an  end.  In  passing  the  worst  Coercion  Act  imposed  on 
Ireland  since  the  Union,  the  most  radical  Ministrv  that  England  had 
ever  known  were  obliged  to  so  curtail  the  liberty  of  debate  as  to  destroy 
the  old  prestige  of  Parliament  and  abolish  the  rights  of  minorities. 

Davitt  was  arrested  on  the  pretence  that  he  had  violated  the  con- 
ditions of  his  "  ticket-of-leave."  He  had,  in  fact,  utterly  disregarded  it 
from  the  beo-innino; ;  but  there  was  no  more  excuse  for  arrestine*  him  at 
that  moment  than  at   any  other  time  during  the   previous  two  years. 


78 


DAVITT  SENT  BACK  TO  PRISON. 


The  passion  and  vindictiveness  of  spirit  evidenced  by  this  act  gave  the 
lie  direct  to  the  professions  made  in  introducing  the  Coercion  Bill,  and 
had  much  to  do  with  the  reception  given  to  the  Land  Bill  subse- 
quently. Davitt  had  displayed  incessant  activity  since  his  return  from 
America,  and  his  popularity  was  on  the  increase.  A  remarkable  inci- 
dent which  occurred  in  Armagh,  a  short  time  before  his  arrest,  had  prob- 
ably much  to  do  with  forcing  the  hand  of  the  Government,  as  it 
revealed  an  extraordinary  change  of  feeling  among  the  Ulster  Protes- 
tants. A  meeting,  composed  mainly  of  Orangemen,  was  addressed  by 
Davitt,  and  at  the  conclusion  of  his  speech  the  crowd  took  him  on 
their  shoulders  and  carried  him  a  considerable  distance  along  the  road. 
When  he  told  them  in  his  speech  that  he  was  a  convicted  Fenian  and 
a  "  ticket-of-leave  man,"  a  voice  shouted,  "  You  are  nothing  the  worse 
for  that,"  and  the  crowd  cheered  heartily.  This,  taken  in  connection 
with  similar  incidents  at  other  meetings,  showed  the  direction  in  which 
the  Northern  mind  was  moving,  and  that  one  of  the  chief  supports  of 
British   rule  in  Ireland  was  fast  giving  way. 

In  Tipperary,  at  a  subsequent  meeting,  Davitt  made  the  most  eloquent 
speech  he  had  till  then  delivered  ;  but,  although  he  strongly  condemned 
outrages,  he  talked  rather  wildly  about  his  having  restrained  "  the  wolf 
dog  of  Irish  vengeance  "  in  America,  and  to  some  extent  flung  down  a 
challenge  to  the  Government.  He  had  not,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  re- 
strained any  one  in  America  having  the  means  of  wreaking  vengeance 
on  England,  and  the  allusion  was  taken  as  referring  to  the  Nation- 
alists, who  had,  in  reality,  often  had  occasion  to  restrain  the  hotter 
spirits  among  Land  Leaguers.  He  was  sent  back  to  Portland  Prison 
and  cut  off  from  all  communication  with  the  outside  world. 

The  arrest  evoked  deep  indignation  throughout  Ireland,  and  meetings 
to  protest  against  it  were  held  everywhere.  In  America  there  were 
angry  speeches  and  resolutions,  and  the  increased  interest  in  the  move- 
ment swelled  the  numbers  at  the  meetings  and  the  amounts  sent  to  sus- 
tain the  agitation  at  home. 

Patrick  Egan  was  instructed  by  the  League  Executive  to  take  up  his 
residence  in  Paris,  for  the  purpose  of  saving  the  treasury  from  seizure, 
and  keeping  up  uninterrupted  communication  with  America  and  Australia. 
Henceforth,  he  became  a  much  more  important  figure  in  the  movement 


THE  LAND  ACT  OF  1881.  79 

and  exercised  a  considerable  influence  on  subsequent  events.  A  success- 
ful business  man  of  cautious,  steady  habits  and  keen  intelligence,  he  was 
better  fitted  for  the  peculiar  position  in  which  he  was  placed,  than  any 
man  in  the  League;  and,  although  having  a  difficult  task  to  steer  his 
way  between  bitterly  contending  factions  inside  the  movement,  he  suc- 
ceeded in  preserving  the  good-will  of  all.  For  a  long  time  the  public 
history  of  the  League  was  the  simple  record  of  transactions  between  him 
and  the  American  branches,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  Irish  Ladies' 
Land  League  on  the  other.  His  strong  National  opinions  ensured  him 
the  earnest  support  of  the  Irish-American  Nationalists,  while  his  good 
business  standing  convinced  all  other  sections  of  his  fitness  for  the 
handling  of  funds. 

The  Land  Bill  was  at  last  introduced  with  a  tremendous  flourish  of 
trumpets,  and  the  world  was  led  to  believe  that  at  last  a  final  solution 
of  the  Irish  Land  Question  had  been  reached.  Yet  a  few  short  months 
showed  it  to  be  an  utter  failure,  and  the  trouble  was  only  aggravated  by 
the  application  of  a  partial  remedy.  It  unquestionably  went  farther  in 
the  direction  of  curbing  the  landlord's  power  than  any  previous  act,  and 
it  clearly  recognized  a  certain  right  of  the  tenant  to  a  property  in  the 
soil.  But,  like  everything  emanating  from  the  brain  of  Gladstone,  it  was 
full  of  intricacies  and  complications.  It  borrowed  a  little  from  almost 
every  proposed  reform  of  the  Irish  Land  Laws,  from  Sharman  Craw- 
ford's to  Isaac  Butt's,  and  had  no  one  guiding  principle.  Its  main 
feature  was  the  creation  of  a  Land  Court  to  regulate  rents,  compensa- 
tion for  improvements,  etc.,  with  the  consequent  encouragement  to  end- 
less litigation.  Although  it  contained  many  germs  of  good,  no  man  who 
knew  Ireland  could  regard  it  as  a  final  settlement  of  the  question,  and 
the  Irish  farmers  refused  to  accept  it  as  such.  It  was  subjected  to  the 
severest  criticism  from  the  Irish  Members  in  the  House,  in  the  Irish 
press,  and  on  Land  League  platforms.  Two  years  previously  it  would 
have  been  accepted  as  a  boon,  and  ten  years  before  it  would  have  been 
regarded  as  revolutionary ;  but  Ireland  had  gone  through  a  wonderful 
change  in  a  few  short  years.  The  people  had  set  their  hearts  on 
a  peasant  proprietary,  to  be  obtained  by  the  compulsory  expropriation  of 
the  landlords,  and  nothing  less  would  satisfy  them. 

A  convention  was  called  by  the  Land  League  Executive,  and  on  the 


So 


THE  ROTUNDA  CONVENTION. 


2istof  April,  1881,  the  first  assembly  of  that  character  since  the  days  of 
the  Volunteers,  and  representing  the  Irish  people,  met  in  the  Dublin 
Rotunda.  It  was  a  remarkable  gathering  in  many  respects,  and  highly 
representative.  All  the  Land  League  leaders  were  there,  the  majority  of 
the  "active  section"  of  the  Parliamentary  Party,  the  officers  of  local 
branches,  farmers,  lawyers,  shopkeepers,  priests,  a  few  Protestant  clergy- 
men, some  masters  of  Orange  lodges,  ex-Fenian  centres — all  sections  of 
the  people  were,  in  fact,  represented,  except  the  landlords  and  the 
Wealthier  merchants.  The  farmers,  who  were  most  affected  by  the  bill, 
were  in  a  majority,  and  it  was  pronounced  inadequate.  The  Members  of 
Parliament  were  instructed  to  let  it  go  to  a  second  reading  and  endeavor 
to  amend  it,  and  after  its  final  passage  another  convention  was  to  be 
called  to  decide  on  future  action  regarding  it. 

This  Convention  had  a  very  important  bearing  on  the  Irish  National 
Question.  An  Irish  representative  body,  better  qualified  to  decide  on  the 
merits  of  the  Land  Bill  than  any  other  set  of  men  in  the  British 
Empire,  pronounced  judgment  against  it;  and  that  judgment  was  treated 
with  contempt  by  the  English  Parliament.  There  were  many  Northern 
Protestants  present  who  had  hitherto  been  staunch  supporters  of  the 
Union;  but  after  seeing  Ireland's  wishes  overridden  by  a  body  ignorant  of 
the  subject,  it  was  natural  for  these  men  to  reflect  that  if  the  convention 
had  been  an  Irish  Parliament,  the  question  would  have  been  settled  to 
their  satisfaction.  The  administration  of  the  Coercion  Act,  during  the 
course  of  that  and  the  following  year,  did  much  to  strengthen  that  feel- 
ing; and  Northern  Protestants  began  to  seriously  think  over  the  means 
of  winning  for  Ireland  the  right  to  make  her  own  laws. 

In  spite  of  the  most  strenuous  efforts  of  the  Irish  Members  to  amend 
the  bill  in  the  interest  of  the  tenants,  it  passed  the  House  of  Commons 
shorn  of  some  of  the  good  points  the  original  draft  contained,  was 
further  "amended"  in  the  Lords,  and  after  some  show  of  resistance  these 
"amendments"  were  accepted  and  the  measure  became  law.  The  Execu- 
tive of  the  Land  League  took  immediate  steps  to  have  a  certain  number 
of  tet:t  cases  tried  in  the  new  Land  Court,  for  the  purpose  of  enabling 
the  tenants  to  make  the  most  of  the  Act,  to  provide  precedents  and 
facilitate  further  legislation.  Their  action  was  moderate  and  reasonable, 
and  entirely  within   the  limits  of  law.    In  the   Land  Court,  as  in  all 


THE  LAND  LEAGUE'S  ANSWER  TO  COERCION. 


8i 


other  courts  where  money  is  in  question,  the  advantage  was  with  the  man 
who  could  hold  out  longest  and  best  afford  the  expense.  Tenants  could 
not  neglect  their  work  and  afford  long-continued  absence  from  home, 
with  the  chance  of  having  to  pay  the  costs  in  case  judgment  should  be 
given  against  them.  The  Land  League,  therefore,  proposed  to  act  as 
general  agent  for  all  the  tenants,  supplying  counsel  and  defraying  the 
necessary  expenses.  This,  in  the  eyes  of  the  English  Government,  was 
"  obstructing  the  working  of  the  Land  Act ;"  and  it  was  determined  to 
put  the  members  of  the  Executive  in  prison,  and  bring  the  whole  force 
of  the  Empire  to  bear  in  an  endeavor  to  break  up  the  Land  League. 
Parnell,  Dillon  and  O'Kelly  were  arrested,  other  Members  then  in 
England  were  marked  out  for  imprisonment  as  soon  as  they  should  set 
foot  on  Irish  soil,  and  the  Land  League  stru<ja-le  entered  on  a  new 
phase. 

The  answer  of  the  Land  League  to  this  declaration  of  war  was  the 
No  Rent  Manifesto.  After  reciting  the  main  facts  of  the  situation,  the 
Manifesto  said  :  "  Fellow-countrymen,  the  hour  to  try  your  souls  and  to 
redeem  your  pledges  has  arrived.  The  Executive  of  the  National  Land 
League,  forced  to  abandon  the  policy  of  testing  the  Land  Act,  feels 
bound  to  advise  the  tenant-farmers  of  Ireland  from  this  forth  to  pay  No 
Rents  under  any  circumstances  to  their  landlords  until  the  Government 
relinquishes  the  existing  system  of  terrorism,  and  restores  the  constitu- 
tional rights  of  the  people.  Do  not  be  daunted  by  the  removal  of  your 
leaders.  Your  fathers  abolished  tithes  by  the  same  method  without  any 
leaders  at  all,  and  with  scarcely  a  shadow  of  the  magnificent  organization 
that  covers  every  portion  of  Ireland  to-day.  Do  not  suffer  yourselves  to 
be  intimidated  by  threats  of  military  violence.  It  is  as  lawful  to  refuse 
to  pay  rents  as  it  is  to  receive  them.  Against  the  passive  resistance  of 
an  entire  population,  military  power  has  no  weapons.  Do  not  be 
wheedled  into  compromise  of  any  sort  by  the  dread  of  eviction.  If  you 
only  act  together  in  the  spirit  to  which,  within  the  last  two  years,  you 
have  countless  times  solemnly  pledged  your  vows,  they  can  no  more 
evict  a  whole  nation  than  they  can  imprison  them." 

The  document  promised  the  aid  of  Irish-America  in  rather  glowing 
terms  and  continued:  "One  more  crowning  struggle  for  your  land,  your 
homes,  your  lives — a  struggle  in  which   you  have  all  the  memories  of 

L 


82 


EFFECTS  OF  THE  NO  RENT  MANIFESTO. 


your  race,  all  the  hopes  of  your  children,  all  the  sacrifices  of  your  im- 
prisoned brothers,  all  your  cravings  for  rent-enfranchised  land,  for  happy 
homes  and  National  Freedom  to  inspire  you — one  more  heroic  effort  to 
destroy  landlordism  at  the  very  source  and  fount  of  its  existence — and 
the  system  which  was,  and  is,  the  curse  of  your  race  and  of  your  exist- 
ence will  have  disappeared  forever."  It  concluded  with  the  following 
words  :  "  Stand  together  in  the  face  of  the  brutal  and  cowardly  enemies 
of  your  race ;  pay  no  rents  under  any  pretext ;  stand  passively,  firmly, 
fearlessly  by,  while  the  armies  of  England  may  be  engaged  in  their  hope- 
less struggle  against  a  spirit  which  their  weapons  cannot  touch  ;  act  for 
yourselves,  if  you  are  deprived  of  the  counsels  of  those  who  have  shown 
you  how  to  act  ;  no  power  of  legalized  violence  can  extort  one  penny 
from  your  purses  against  your  will ;  if  you  are  evicted,  you  shall  not 
suffer ;  and  the  landlord  who  evicts  will  be  a  ruined  pauper  ;  and  the 
Government  which  supports  him  with  its  bayonets  will  learn  in  a  single 
winter  how  powerless  is  armed  force  against  the  will  of  a  united,  deter- 
mined and  self-reliant  Nation." 

This  was  the  Land  League's  first  serious  mistake.  Hitherto  the 
leaders  had  kept  their  heads ;  but  the  brutality  of  the  action  taken 
against  them  by  the  Government  produced  its  natural  effect  and  they 
struck  back  wildly.  The  policy  was  calculated  to  tax  the  powers  of  the 
Government  to  the  utmost,  and  to  inflict  enormous  injury  on  the  land- 
lords ;  but  was  nevertheless  doomed  to  failure.  Carried  out  as  it  had 
been  previously,  without  any  general  proclamation,  and  at  the  discretion 
of  the  farmers,  it  had  proved  the  strongest  weapon  against  the  land- 
lords ;  but  the  circumstances  surrounding  each  individual  case  varied 
very  considerably,  and  the  power  of  resistance  of  some  of  the  landlords 
was  sufficient  to  overcome  the  pressure  brought  to  bear  upon  them. 
Then  the  spirit  of  the  farmers  generally  was  not  equal  to  the  strain,  and 
the  nature  of  the  sacrifices  rendered  necessary  precluded  the  possibility 
of  keeping  strictly  within  the  limits  of  passive  resistance.  It  was  asking 
too  much  of  Irish  human  nature  and  giving  too  strong  a  temptation  to 
the  Government  and  the  landlords,  to  adopt  measures  calculated  to  exas- 
perate the  people  and  drive  them  into  violent  resistance.  The  result 
was  soon  apparent.  Eviction  became  the  order  of  the  day,  the  resistance 
of  the  people  was  frequently  pushed  to  the  extent  of  physical  conflicts 


WHEEDLING  THE  LEAGUE  INTO  SOCIALISM. 


83 


with  the  police — in  a  few  cases  verging  on  insurrection — intimidation  of 
timid  farmers  and  outrages  of  all  kinds  were  multiplied.  The  young 
men  of  the  farming  class  emigrated  by  tens  of  thousands,  business  was 
paralyzed  and  the  country  suffered  as  if  a  state  of  war  prevailed.  The 
Manifesto  was  ignored  by  the  majority  of  the  farmers,  and  where 
obeyed  was  not  literally  carried  out.  Bargains  and  compromises  were 
made  with  the  landlords,  and  the  promised  aid  from  Irish-America, 
although  there  was  a  very  large  increase  in  the  funds  sent,  did  not 
reach  the  figure  necessary  to  thoroughly  carry  out  the  policy. 

But  the  worst  feature  of  the  No  Rent  policy  was  the  opportunity  it 
afforded  to  "  social  reformers  "  of  various  kinds  in  America  to  change 
the  whole  character  of  the  agitation  and  make  it  serve  ends  not  contem- 
plated by  its  founders  and  not  approved  of  by  any  large  section  of  the 
Irish  people.  The  Irish  World  was  the  principal  organ,  and  the  celebra- 
ted Henry  George,  author  of  "  Progress  and  Poverty,"  the  real  leader 
of  this  section,  which  included  many  men  who,  like  him,  merely  used 
the  Irish  movement  as  a  lever  to  work  upon  other  countries.  They 
cared  nothing  for  Irish  Independence  and  scouted  "peasant  proprietary," 
the  corner-stone  of  the  Land  League,  as  vicious  and  unsound.  Nothing 
short  of  the  "  nationalization  of  the  Land  "  would  satisfy  them.  The  No 
Rent  Manifesto  was  published  in  the  Irish  World  without  the  qualifying 
clause,  "  until  the  Government  relinquishes  the  existing  system  of  terror- 
ism and  restores  the  constitutional  rights  of  the  people,"  and  the 
numerous  readers  of  that  journal  were  led  to  take  it  as  an  absolute 
strike  against  the  payment  of  all  rent  for  land.  Mr.  George  went  to 
Ireland  as  correspondent  of  the  paper,  and  unremittingly  preached  his 
doctrines  in  speech  and  letter  with  great  ability,  force  and  plausibility. 
All  this  time  the  vast  majority  of  the  Irish  people  did  not  see  the  real 
drift  of  this  propaganda,  and  those  who  did  and  who  warned  the  people 
against  it  were,  for  the  moment,  looked  upon  as  dissensionists. 

During  this  period  a  series  of  circumstances  with  which  Michael 
Davitt  had  some  connection,  threw  the  transmission  of  a  very  large 
share  of  the  funds  from  America  into  the  hands  of  the  Irish  World, 
and  thus  gave  a  great  preponderance  to  the  influence  of  the  section  it 
represented.  When  Davitt  started  on  his  lecturing  tour  he  resisted  all 
suggestions   to  have  a  new  Secretary  take  his  place,  and  directed  that 


84 


DAVITT'S  ALLIANCE  WITH  FORD. 


communications  for  the  Council  elected  in  Trenor  Hall,  should  be  sent 
to  Father  Walsh,  the  Treasurer,  who,  of  course,  had  not  much  time  to 
attend  to  correspondence.  Through  an  accident,  the  President  of  the 
Council  suddenly  disappeared  and  nothing  more  than  an  informal  con- 
ference of  a  portion  of  its  members  had  ever  taken  place.  While  on  his 
tour,  Davitt  told  all  he  met  to  send  their  money  direct  to  Patrick 
Egan,  or  through  the  Irish  World.  Possibly  his  motive  was  to 
strengthen  the  hands  of  the  home  League  by  the  rapid  transmission  of 
money,  but  while  it  accomplished  this  purpose,  it  divided  the  organiza- 
tion into  two  conflicting  factions.  A  Convention  called  by  Father 
Walsh  met  in  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  13th,  1881,  and  a  large  number  of 
men,  not  representing  any  branches,  were  present  and  carried  the  Con- 
vention by  a  small  majority.  Its  action  was  mainly  directed  against  the 
Nationalists  who  had  founded  the  League,  in  consequence  of  the  private 
representations  of  a  small  faction  from  New  York  city,  that  dark  and 
sinister  designs  were  harbored.  The  priests  present  were  alarmed,  and 
voted  in  a  spirit  of  hostility  to  the  Nationalists;  and  although  P.  A. 
Collins,  an  able  lawyer  from  Boston,  and  an  ex-Fenian  organizer,  was, 
in  his  absence,  elected  President,  a  breach  was  made  which  rendered  the 
work  of  the  Irish  World  comparatively  easy. 

A  fierce  attack  was  at  once  commenced  by  that  paper,  and  a  personal 
controversy  of  peculiar  bitterness  was  for  some  time  carried  on  between 
Messrs.  Ford  and  Collins.  The  excitement  in  Ireland  was  in  the  mean- 
time producing  strong  feeling  among  Irish-Americans,  and  subscriptions 
poured  in  with  increased  rapidity.  Had  there  been  no  public  wrangling, 
of  course  there  would  have  been  an  infinitely  larger  sum  collected ;  and 
had  there  been  an  able  and  efficient  Council,  recognized  by  the  whole 
body  throughout  the  country,  the  result  would  have  been  out  of  all 
proportion  greater  than  anything  so  far  achieved.  As  it  was,  the  people 
sent  their  money  by  the  means  nearest  at  hand,  and  entirely  irrespective 
of  the  quarrels  or  professions  of  the  faction  leaders.  Mr.  Ford,  while 
opposing  the  idea  of  a  Council,  made  his  office  the  centre  of  an  organi- 
zation, issued  a  "constitution"  containing  a  provision  that  all  moneys 
were  to  be  sent  to  the  Treasurer  of  the  Irish  National  Land  League 
throueh  the  Irish  World,  and  was  himself  the  undisputed  head  of  it. 
The  prompt  public  acknowledgment  of  remittances,  and  the  publication 


REV.  FATHER  SHEEHY. 


THE  CHICAGO  CONVENTION. 


85 


of  the  names  of  subscribers,  was  the  strongest  incentive  to  send  money- 
through  that  channel,  as  the  Council  only  published  statements  from  time 
to  time,  and  did  not  give  subscribers'  names.  This  swelled  the  Irish 
World  fund  enormously,  and,  although  deceptive,  gave  it  the  appearance 
of  representing  the  bulk  of  Irish-American  opinion. 

With  regard  to  opinions  on  the  Land  Question,  and  on  the  National 
Question,  the  vast  majority  of  the  rank  and  file  in  both  sections  were  in 
thorough  accord  ;  but  large  numbers  were  drawn  into  reading  the  Irish 
World,  and  many  afterwards  were  influenced  by  its  teachings.  That  the 
majority  of  the  Irish  in  America  were  opposed  to  it,  however,  was  clearly 
demonstrated  by  the  Convention  held  in  Chicago  from  November  30th 
to  December  2d.  Convened  in  consequence  of  a  resolution  passed  by 
the  Irish- American  Club,  a  body  of  influential  Irishmen  in  that  city  by 
a  call  signed  by  P.  A.  Collins,  Patrick  Ford  and  John  Boyle  O'Reilly, 
on  behalf  of  the  Irish  in  America,  and  by  Father  Sheehy,  T.  M.  Healy, 
M.P.,  and  T.  P.  O'Connor,  M.P.,  on  the  part  of  the  Land  League  in 
Ireland,  it  was  by  far  the  most  representative  gathering  of  Irishmen  ever 
held  in  America.  Over  eight  hundred  delegates  from  Land  League 
branches  and  other  Irish  societies  met,  and  after  three  days'  consideration 
of  the  situation  contented  themselves  with  passing  resolutions  indorsing 
all  that  had  been  done  by  the  Home  Land  League,  and  affirming  Ire- 
land's right  to  Self-Government.  Resolutions  submitted  to  the  committee 
by  Mr.  Ford  were  rejected,  and  the  delegates  from  Ireland  were  given  to 
understand  that  a  sensible,  practical  policy,  advancing  steadily  towards 
Nationality,  was  what  would  commend  itself  to  the  Irish  in  America. 
A  few  months  later,  the  Washington  Convention  taught  a  similar  lesson, 
the  differences  between  the  Nationalists  and  a  section  of  the  priests  were 
bridged  over,  and  there  was  a  unification  effected  of  all  the  elements 
opposed  to  the  Irish  World's  "humanitarian"  programme. 

In  Ireland  the  movement  took  an  entirely  new  shape  during  the 
reign  of  Coercion.  Nearly  all  the  local  leaders  being  in  prison  and  the 
organization  having  been  declared  illegal,  the  branches  were  obliged 
either  to  break  up  or  to  assume  more  and  more  the  character  of  ribbon 
lodges.  Disaffection  was,  indeed,  "  driven  beneath  the  surface ;"  but  the 
spirit  of  the  people  remained  unbroken,  and  the  habit  of  acting  together, 
acquired  during  two  years   of  agitation,  enabled  them  to   carry  on  the 


86 


IRELAND   UNDER  COERCION. 


same  work  as  before  the  organization  was  suppressed.  The  landlords 
were  resisted  at  every  step,  evicted  tenants  were  reinstated  in  their 
homes,  or  in  huts  erected  near  them,  and  the  Ladies'  Land  League  was 
kept  busy  attending  to  cases  of  distress.  Ladies  were  arrested  on  the 
most  flimsy  pretexts  and  cast  into  the  common  jail,  with  the  object  of 
frightening  them  into  submission ;  but  this  only  tended  to  deepen  the 
hatred  of  the  Government  and  their  Irish  officials,  which  was  already 
strong  enough  among  the  people.  Frequent  conflicts  occurred  between 
the  armed  police  and  the  people,  and  the  weapons  of  the  former  were 
often  freely  used  without  much  regard  to  the  sex  or  age  of  their  victims. 
There  was  plainly  a  deliberate  intention  on  the  part  of  the  Castle  clique 
to  force  the  spirit  of  resistance  to  such  a  point  that  the  army  could  be 
brought  into  play,  and  a  premature  rising  of  the  people  would  enable  them 
to  shatter  the  strength  of  the  country.  Had  this  succeeded  there  would 
have  been  much  more  bloodshed  than  these  gentlemen  counted  on,  and 
the  vengeance  that  would  have  been  wreaked  on  them  and  on  England 
would  have  had  no  parallel  in  Irish  history.  Troops  were  poured  into 
the  country  till  every  regiment  available  for  foreign  service  was  stationed 
there,  and  Ireland  bore  the  appearance  of  a  country  in  a  state  of  war. 
The  leaders  of  the  Nationalists  foreseeing  the  danger,  had  taken  ample 
precautions  against  a  premature  outbreak  and,  during  the  excitement  of 
the  famous  Boycott  expedition  had  issued  a  proclamation,  which  was 
posted  up  on  every  police  barrack,  church,  and  courthouse  in  Ireland, 
under  the  very  noses  of  the  police,  and  in  the  principal  towns  in  Eng- 
land and  Scotland,  warning  the  people  to  allow  no  provocation  to  tempt 
them  into  physical  resistance.  This  alarmed  the  Government ;  but  it  had 
no  small  share  in  averting  the  threatened  danger. 

The  strain  on  the  people  was  very  great.  Business  was  paralyzed, 
the  credit  of  the  smaller  class  of  shopkeepers  was  very  much  impaired, 
if  not  broken,  and  the  best  and  most  spirited  of  the  people  were  emi- 
grating by  the  thousand  every  day.  The  powers  of  the  Government  were 
severely  taxed,  but  so  were  those  of  the  people.  Public  opinion  through- 
out the  world,  however,  was  running  strongly  with  the  people  of  Ireland, 
notwithstanding  the  alarming  increase  of  outrages,  and  the  flow  of  money 
from  America  to  sustain  the  fight  against  landlordism  kept  up  the  spirits 
of  the  Leaguers. 


WORK  AND  INFLUENCE  OF  JAMES  RED  PATH. 


8? 


About  this  period,  and  for  some  time  previous,  the  influence  exerted 
by  James  Redpath  on  American  opinion  in  favor  of  the  Land  League 
began  to  tell  in  its  favor.  Born  in  Scotland,  he  came  to  America  when 
a  very  young  man  and  became  prominent  in  the  Anti-Slavery  movement 
almost  from  its  inception  as  correspondent  of  the  New  York  Tribune. 
Owing  to  the  support  given  to  the  Southern  slaveholding  leaders  of  the 
Democratic  party  by  the  majority  of  the  Irish  in  America,  he  became 
rather  prejudiced  against  them  and  was  not  at  all  disposed  to  favor  the 
Land  League  when  it  was  first  launched.  He  was,  however,  a  strong 
Radical  and  the  agitation  early  attracted  his  attention.  He  went  to  Ire- 
land as  correspondent  of  the  Tribune,  and  a  close  investigation  soon  con- 
vinced him  of  the  justice  of  the  demands  put  forth.  He  proceeded  to  the 
famine-stricken  districts  of  the  West  and  made  a  rigid  examination  into 
the  condition  of  the  people  and  their  relations  with  the  landlords.  The 
result  was  a  series  of  letters  containing  the  most  scathing  exposures  of 
the  whole  landlord  system  and  of  the  criminal  fostering  of  its  injustice 
by  the  English  Government.  Nothing  like  it  had  ever  been  published  in 
America  and  Mr.  Redpath's  previously  known  antipathy  to  the  Irish  lent 
infinitely  more  weight  to  his  words  than  would  have  otherwise  attached 
to  them.  He  entered  heartily  into  the  spirit  of  the  Land  League,  ad- 
vised with  its  leaders,  addressed  popular  meetings  and  largely  contributed 
to  stir  up  the  spirit  of  manly  independence  among  the  peasantry  which 
afterwards  effected  so  much.  He  returned  to  America,  lectured  through 
the  country  to  crowded  houses  and  thus  reached  thousands  who  were 
attracted  by  his  name,  but  who  were  rather  hostile  to  the  movement. 
He  went  again  to  Ireland,  continued  his  investigations  and  his  letters 
were  almost  universally  copied  by  the  American  press.  This  helped 
immensely  to  bring  a  fierce  glare  of  American  public  opinion  to  bear  on 
Ireland  and  to  stimulate  the  American  Irish  to  renewed  activity.  The 
Irish  eventually  began  to  regard  him  as  one  of  themselves,  and  the 
world  looked  upon  him  as  one  of  the  Land  League  leaders.  Certainly 
few  among  its  leaders  rendered  it  more  effective  service. 

The  Government  were  at  last  obliged  to  confess  themselves  beaten ; 
and  the  doors  of  Kilmainham  were  opened  on  the  imprisoned  Members 
of  Parliament.  Mr.  Gladstone  announced  a  change  of  policy  with  the 
best  grace  he  could  in  the  House  of  Commons,  and  Mr.  Forster,  who 


BOSTON  COLLEGE  LllUiAliY 


88 


"THE  TREATY  OF  KILMAINHAM." 


stubbornly  clung  to  repression,  resigned.  He  had  utterly  failed  in  the 
Chief-Secretaryship  and  ruined  his  character  as  a  liberal  statesman.  The 
most  rabid  Tory  could  not  have  acted  with  greater  rigor  or  cruelty,  and 
he  left  a  name  behind  him  in  Ireland  which  will  endure  with  that  of 
Cromwell  and  Castlereagh.  Mr.  Gladstone's  reputation  also  suffered  con- 
siderably ;  but  the  sharp  criticisms  of  the  Tories  were  based  on  the 
belief  that  they  could  have  managed  things  better.  No  English  politician 
could  recognize  the  enormous  change  that  had  taken  place  in  Ireland, 
making  it  absolutely  certain  that  the  old  policy  must  fail,  no  matter  by 
whom  applied.  The  Irish  question  had  entered  on  a  new  phase ;  but 
they  failed  to  recognize  it.  The  "  Treaty  of  Kilmainham,"  as  the  vague 
and  indirect  agreement  between  the  Government  and  the  Land  League 
leader  was  called,  was  a  dim  recognition  on  Mr.  Gladstone's  part  of  the 
fact  that  Ireland  was  a  power  to  be  dealt  with  differently  from  the  Ire- 
land of  the  past,  but  he  was  too  old  to  see  the  full  significance  of  the 
change. 

Mr.  Davitt  was  released  from  Portland  prison,  and  the  installation  of 
Earl  Spencer  as  Lord-Lieutenant,  and  Lord  Frederick  Cavendish  as 
Chief-Secretary,  was  hailed,  with  expectations,  founded,  perhaps,  on  very 
slight  reasons,  of  a  new  era  of  conciliation  and  good  will  between  the 
two  countries.  Mr.  Gladstone  had  promised  to  release  a  large  number 
of  the  suspects,  to  bring  in  a  bill  based  on  suggestions  made  by  the 
Land  League  leaders,  relieving  the  poorer  class  of  tenants  from  arrears 
of  rent ;  but  his  statements  about  the  Coercion  Act  referred  to  amend- 
ments that  might  make  it  more  stringent,  or  less  severe,  as  circumstances 
might  dictate.  From  subsequent  events,  it  became  apparent  that,  under 
any  circumstances,  the  amendments  would  have  tended  towards  increased 
severity.  However,  the  brightest  anticipations  were  entertained  in  Ire- 
land, and  the  release  of  the  leaders  was  enthusiastically  celebrated. 

In  the  midst  of  the  rejoicings,  and  on  the  very  day  of  the  installa- 
tion of  the  new  representatives  of  British  authority  in  Ireland,  the  world 
was  startled  by  the  news  of  the  assassination  of  Lord  Frederick  Caven- 
dish and  Under-Secretary  Burke,  in  the  Phoenix  Park.  Nothing  like  it 
had  ever  occurred  in  Ireland  before.  Landlords,  agents,  bailiffs  and 
farmers  had  been  killed  through  agrarian  troubles,  informers  had  fallen 
victims  to  the  vengeance  of  Nationalist  conspirators,  but  the  assassination 


THE  PHCENIX  PARK  ASSASSINATION. 


89 


of  political  enemies,  or  officials  of  the  British  Government,  had  till  then 
been  utterly  unknown  in  Ireland.  The  effect  was,  therefore,  all  the  more 
profound  in  England,  and  the  cool  daring  of  the  deed,  and  the  ease  with 
which  its  perpetrators  effected  their  escape,  created  a  feeling  of  alarm  the 
like  of  which  had  never  been  seen  in  England  before.  Done  in  sight  of 
the  Viceregal  Lodge,  in  broad  daylight,  the  utmost  exertions  of  the 
police  failed  to  put  them  on  the  track  of  the  murderers,  and  the  offer 
of  enormous  rewards  did  not  tempt  any  of  those  concerned  in  it  to  give 
any  information. 

The  Irish  leaders  were  dazed  for  a  moment  by  the  terrible  stroke, 
and  issued  manifestoes  and  declarations  denouncing  the  murder  and 
exonerating  the  Land  League  from  all  responsibility  for  it.  Indignation 
meetings  were  held  in  Ireland  and  America,  rewards  were  offered  by 
prominent  Land  Leaguers,  and  telegrams  of  sympathy  and  regret  were 
poured  in  on  Mr.  Gladstone  by  the  hundred.  It  was  a  waste  of  energy, 
and  utterly  useless.  No  reasonable  man,  knowing  the  situation,  could  for 
a  moment  attribute  the  act  to  the  Land  League,  or  to  any  section  of 
the  people  in  sympathy  with  it.  It  had  just  achieved  a  partial  triumph 
over  the  Government,  and  important  concessions  in  the  direction  of  its 
demands  were  about  to  be  granted.  The  whole  situation  was  suddenly 
changed  for  the  worse,  and  the  English  people  were  exasperated  to  such 
a  degree  that  the  most  savage  measures  of  repression  would  be  consid_ 
ered  too  mild.  To  those  who  knew  the  Nationalists,  it  was  equally 
unreasonable  to  place  the  act  at  their  door,  for  increased  coercion  would 
mean  diminished  facilities  for  their  work  of  organization.  The  wildest 
theories  were  indulged  in,  but  the  world  remained  in  ignorance  of  the 
real  perpetrators.  Coercion  and  police  brutality,  the  active  assistance 
given  by  the  Government  to  the  work  of  the  evicting  landlords,  had 
aroused  passions  which  neither  the  Government,  the  popular  leaders,  nor 
the  church  could  control,  and,  under  such  circumstances,  a  few  exasper- 
ated men  could  be  easily  found  to  execute  whatever  vengeance  their  pas- 
sions would  picture  to  them  as  a  service  to  the  country. 

The  cry  for  more  repression  went  from  end  to  end  of  England,  and 
a  bill  infinitely  more  tyrannical  and  far-reaching  than  any  that  had  yet 
preceded  it  was  the  result.  It  abolished  trial  by  jury,  even  in  capital 
cases,   empowered  magistrates  to    imprison    unwilling   witnesses,  utterly 

M 


00 


DAVITT'S  "NATIONALIZATION"  SCHEME. 


destroyed  all  pretence  of  freedom  of  the  press,  or  the  right  of  public 
meeting,  and  revived  the  Alien  Act,  extending  its  provisions  to  England. 
It  was  a  declaration  of  war,  and  the  struggle  assumed  a  new  character. 
Public  agitation  became  impossible,  and  the  discontented  were  driven 
back  on  the  secret  societies. 

But  a  new  danger  was  in  store  for  the  Land  League.  Michael 
Davitt  and  others  had  become  imbued  with  the  views  of  Henry  George 
about  the  "  nationalization  of  the  land,"  and  in  a  few  weeks  after  his 
release,  in  carefully  prepared  speeches,  delivered  in  Manchester  and 
Liverpool,  the  founder  of  the  League  announced  his  preference  for  that 
mode  of  settlement  over  "  peasant  proprietary,"  to  which  the  organization 
had  been  committed  mainly  through  his  influence.  He  proposed  that  the 
Government  shouldbuy  out  the  landlords  and  itself  exercise  their  func- 
tions, making  a  tax  on  land  the  means  of  supporting  the  expenses  of  the 
State.  He  said  he  preferred  to  have  this  done  through  an  Irish  Parlia- 
ment, but  admitted  that  even  under  the  existing  Government  he  would 
prefer  it  to  all  other  settlements  of  the  Land  Question.  He  thus 
explained  his  position  in  a  speech  delivered  in  Liverpool,  June  6th,  on 
the  eve  of  his  departure  for  America  : 

"To  propose  that  the  English  Government  should  become  the  owner, 
steward,  or  guardian  of  the  soil  of  Ireland  will,  at  first  sight,  appear  an 
anti-national  settlement  of  the  Land  Question,  and  one  which  involves  a 
principle  of  renunciation  that  cannot  be  sanctioned  by  Irishmen  who  be- 
long to  the  extreme  or  Nationalist  party.  I  am  convinced,  however, 
that  a  calm  consideration  of  the  question  will  dissipate  the  idea  that  the 
nationalization  of  the  land  of  Ireland  is  any  more  of  a  recognition  of 
England's  right  to  rule  us  than  is  involved  in  the  payment  of  taxes  or 
in  calling  upon  its  government  to  advance  the  necessary  funds  for  the 
carrying  out  of  a  scheme  of  peasant  proprietary.  While  I  yield  to  no 
Irishman  alive  in  my  allegiance  to  the  principle  of  Ireland's  right  to 
govern  itself,  I  would  infinitely  prefer  to  deal  directly  with  an  English 
Government  than  with  its  exacting  and  unscrupulous  mercenaries,  the 
Irish  landlords.  Better  to  have  the  land  of  our  country  administered  by 
even  Executive  English  authority  than  see  it  made  the  instrument  of 
social  slavery  and  degradation,  of  tyranny  and  exaction  by  the  merciless 
and  polluted  hands  of  Irish  landlordism." 


DISINTEGRA  TING  TENDENCIES. 


9* 


At  first  many  of  the  "  rank  and  file  "  of  the  Nationalists  did  not  see 
the  full  meaning  of  this;  but  the  leaders  took  alarm  at  once,  and  saw  in 
it  a  complete  surrender  to  England,  and  an  abandonment  of  the  National 
strus:2fle.  In  America  it  met  with  fierce  criticism  from  the  beeinninsj,  and 
on  Davitt's  arrival  in  New  York,  on  Sunday,  June  iSth,  he  found  the 
vast  majority  of  the  Land  League  bitterly  hostile  to  it.  He  defended 
himself  vigorously  and  with  much  passion  ;  but  his  speeches,  during  his 
short  trip,  were  all  on  the  defensive,  and  his  influence  began  to  go  down. 
The  Irish  World  and  a  few  men  of  the  Land  League  sustained  him ; 
but  his  old  friends  and  associates,  the  Nationalists,  who  had  stood  by 
him  so  vigorously  till  then,  gave  his  "  nationalization  "  scheme  the  most 
uncompromising  opposition,  and  the  great  movement  he  had  done  so 
much  to  build  up  began  to  break  up  into  opposing  camps.  "  Labor 
Leagues "  sprang  up  in  Ireland,  and  the  hostility  manifested  towards 
the  farmers  was  the  most  significant  feature  of  the  speeches  and  reso- 
lutions. The  laborers  had,  unquestionably,  been  badly  treated  in  many 
cases  by  the  farmers ;  but  all  the  past  successes  of  the  Land  League 
had  been  won  by  the  close  union  which  prevailed  between  these  two 
classes,  and  their  divisions  now  paralyzed  its  efforts.  The  discussion  of 
the  "  nationalization "  scheme  produced  division  in  America,  and  men's 
minds  began  to  be  concentrated  more  directly  on  the  National  Question, 
as. the  only  means  of  enabling  Ireland  to  settle  all  her  burning  social 
and  political  problems  at  home. 

The  Land  League  had  accomplished  much  for  Ireland.  It  had 
aroused  the  whole  Irish  race,  the  world  over,  to  the  necessity  of  stand- 
ing by  their  native  land,  and  it  had  organized  them.  It  had  concen- 
trated their  attention  on  Ireland  and  given  a  great  impetus  to  their 
resolve  to  aid  their  countrymen  at  home  to  shake  off  the  English  yoke. 
It  had  raised  the  Irish  question  to  the  position  of  a  European  one,  and 
tied  England's  hands  in  her  dealings  with  other  powers  to  a  degree  that 
had  never  been  witnessed  before.  It  was  a  revolt  that  was  not  an 
armed  insurrection,  but  which  necessitated  the  continual  presence  of  the 
only  military  force  which  England  had  available  for  foreign  war.  It 
helped  materially  to  break  down  the  prejudices  of  the  Northern  Protest- 
ants, and  prepared  the  way  for  their  political  amalgamation  with  the  rest 
of  the  people.    It  utterly  broke  down  the  political  power  and  influence 


9 2  A  NEW  IRELAND  CREATED. 

of  the  landlords,  which  was  always  the  chief  support  of  English  rule, 
and  entirely  removed  that  slavish  servility  and  timidity  of  the  agri- 
cultural classes,  which  had  been  till  then  a  barrier  to  all  independence  of 
political  action.  In  short,  under  its  influence,  a  democracy  was  organ- 
ized which  won  the  allegiance  of  the  majority  of  the  Irish  people,  and 
commenced  to  sway  the  destinies  of  the  country.  It  destroyed  the 
old  political  forces  which  had  dominated  the  land  for  centuries  and 
brought  new  ones  into  active  operation,  which  had  hitherto  lain  dormant. 
It  began  a  revolution  and  prepared  the  way  for  a  new  Ireland,  destined 
to  play  an  important  part  in  the  world,  through  its  relations  with  the 
British  empire  and  the  force  of  its  example. 


THE  LAND  OF  EIRE. 
Part  1 1.— DESCRI PTI VE  and  HISTORICAL. 

CHAPTER  I. 

THE  CITY  OF  CORK  TO  BANTRY  BAY. 

General  Character  of  the  Counties  of  Cork  and  Kerry — Antiquities — Tower  at  Kinneath — Historical 
Notice  of  the  City  of  Cork — Modern  Cork:  Streets,  Bridges,  and  Public  Buildings — Birth- 
place of  Distinguished  Persons — Character  of  the  Inhabitants — Suburbs  of  Cork — Blarney 
Village  and  Castle — Tradition  of  the  Blarney  Stone — Curious  Cromlech  and  Druidic  Relics — 
Road  from  Cork  to  Bantry — Bantry  Bay — Attempted  Landings  of  the  French  there — Glen- 
gariff — Its  Scenery — Cromwell's  Bridge — The  Harbor. 

IN  no  part  of  Ireland  will  the  tourist  in  search  of  the  picturesque  receive 
more  ample  gratification  than  in  traveling  through  the  south-western 
portion  of  the  island.  Lakes,  which,  in  romantic  beauty,  vie  with  the 
boasted  ones  of  Switzerland  or  Cumberland — mountains,  that,  for  sublime 
grandeur,  might  be  proudly  claimed  by  Scotland  herself — rivers  and 
unregarded  streams,  whose  sylvan  charms  are  as  deserving  the  homage 
of  the  poet's  pen  and  the  painter's  pencil  as  the  more  favored  banks 
of  the  pastoral  Wye — continually  surprise  and  enchant  the  wanderer 
through  the  counties  of  Cork  and  Kerry.  But  in  what  other  country 
under  heaven  will  he  meet  with  such  magnificent  scenery  as  that  which 
presents  itself  along  the  extensive  line  of  coast  lying  between  Cork 
harbor  and  the  mouth  of  the  Shannon  ?  There,  nature  has  placed  her 
everlasting  barriers  of  rock  to  oppose  the  rage  of  the  Atlantic,  whose 
mountain  billows  vainly  lash  the  huge  and  jutting  headlands,  that  shelter 


2 


THE   CITY  OF   CORK   TO   BAN  TRY  BAY. 


within  their  Titan  arms  noble  bays  and  lovely  creeks — or  in  the  happier 
words  of  Ireland's  poet — 

"  Glens,  where  the  ocean  comes, 

To  'scape  the  wild  winds'  rancour, 
And  harbors — worthiest  homes, 

For  freedom's  fleets  to  anchor." 

The  general  character  of  this  portion  of  Munster  is  hilly.  In  the 
more  western  districts  the  lofty  mountain  ranges  exhibit  a  wild  and 
beautiful  aspect  — delightful  to  the  lovers  of  sublime  and  picturesque 
scenery,  but  generally  barren  and  unproductive,  except  in  the  deep  valleys 
that  lie  between  the  gigantic  hills,  where  prolific  nature  revels  in  her 
richest  attire.  The  most  equable  and  fertile  tracts  are  found  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  county  of  Cork :  nothing  can  exceed  the  richness  and 
abundance  of  the  land  in  the  neighborhood  of  Doneraile,  Fermoy,  and 
along  the  banks  of  the  Blackwater  down  to  Youghal.  From  the  great 
diversity  of  the  scenery,  it  need  hardly  be  said  that  the  western  parts  of 
Ireland  furnish  the  most  favorable  field  that  an  artist  could  select  for  the 
application  of  his  talents,  while,  for  the  gratification  of  the  antiquarian 
investigator,  the  county  of  Cork  alone  will  yield  him  a  rich  harvest  of 
subjects,  particularly  in  the  mounds,  raths,  cromlechs,  pillars,  excavations, 
circles  of  upright  stones,  and  other  vestiges  of  the  gloomy  mysteries 
of  the  Druidical  worship,  which  thickly  overspread  this  country.  Of 
churches  and  other  ecclesiastical  edifices,  there  are  few  to  be  found  of 
striking  architectural  importance,  although  many  examples  occur  of  small 
churches,  constructed  of  great  stones  piled  together  without  the  use  of 
cement,  with  inclined  walls,  and  doors  narrower  at  the  top  than  at  the 
base,  evidently  of  Pelasgic  origin.  There  are  to  be  found  in  this  county 
the  remains  of  only  one  of  the  ancient  Irish  Round  Towers ;  it  is 
situated  at  Cloyne,  a  small  town  not  far  from  Queenstown. 

At  Kinneath,  or  Kinnergh,  near  Dunmanway,  is  another  pillar-tower, 
which  differs  in  several  remarkable  particulars  from  buildings  of  the 
same  class  to  be  seen  in  other  parts  of  Ireland.  It  consists  of  six  stories, 
each  eleven  feet  nine  inches  in  height,  the  lower  or  basement  being  a  perfect 
hexagon,  while  above  the  tower  is  quite  round.  A  tradition  is  current 
that  this  tower  was  built  about  the  year  1015,  by  St.  Mocholomog,  soon 
after  the  celebrated  battle   of  Clontarf.    Smith,  the  historian   of  Cork, 


ORIGIN  OF   THE  CITY  OF  CORK. 


3 


cites  a  passage  in  support  of  this  opinion  from  an  ancient  MS.,  to 
which  he  does  not  assign  any  date.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  however, 
that  this  particular  tower,  which  differs  in  an  important  architectural 
feature  from  all  the  other  pillar  towers  of  Ireland,  whose  antiquity  is 
so  great  that  even  tradition  is  silent  respecting  their  use  and  origin, 
should  be  the  only  one  to  which  such  a  story  is  attached.  But  we  will 
not  go  deeper  into  the  perplexing  subject  of  the  Round  Towers  at 
present,  as  we  shall  have  occasion  to  notice  some  of  these  singular 
buildings  in  their  proper  places  in  the  course  of  our  tour.  The  relics 
of  ancient  castles  in  the  county  of  Cork  are  numerous  and  interesting; 
exhibiting  every  style  of  architecture  employed  between  the  time  of  the 
Anglo-Norman  invasion  and  the  period  of  the  Revolution,  when  fortified 
dwellings  began  to  fall  into  disuse  amongst  the  nobility  and  gentry 
throughout  the  kingdom.  Their  modern  residences  generally  evince 
considerable  architectural  taste,  and  the  greater  number  of  them  are 
placed  in  exceedingly  beautiful  situations. 

The  earliest  historical  notice  of  the  city  of  Cork  occurs  at  the 
commencement  of  the  seventh  century,  when  St.  Finn  Barr  or  Barra,  quitting 
his  solitude  in  the  lonely  island  of  Gougane  Barra,  founded  his  cathedral 
on  the  site  of  a  pagan  place  of  worship,  and  afterwards  added  to  it  a 
religious  house  and  a  school,  which  attained  so  much  celebrity  that 
disciples  and  students,  to  the  number  of  seven  hundred,  flocked  to  it 
from  all  parts  ;  and,  according  to  an  ancient  writer,  "  a  desert,  as  it 
were,  by  quick  degrees  became  a  city."  Such  was  the  influence  of 
learning  and  piety  in  Ireland  at  a  period  when,  by  the  generality  of 
English  readers,  she  is  believed  to  have  been  sunk  in  the  lowest 
depths  of  barbarism  ;  and  to  this  scholastic  foundation  of  St.  Finn 
Barr's  must  be  ascribed  the  origin  of  the  city  of  Cork.* 

It  is  not  our  purpose  to  go  into  an  historical  account  of  the  rise  and 
progress  of  this  city,  although,  if  it  were  not  apart  from  the  object  of 
the  present  work,  an  interesting  relation  might  be  made  of  the  trials 
it  has  endured,  from  the  time  when  Ireland's  ancient  enemies,  the  Danes, 

*  Corroch  or  Corcagh,  the  Irish  name  of  Cork,  is,  like  all  Irish  names  of  places,  strikingly  descriptive.  It  signifies 
a  swamp,  to  which  the  situation  of  the  city  on  two  marshy  islands  fully  entitles  it.  The  whole  district  on  the  south 
and  west  of  the  Lee,  was  called  Corcagh  Luighe,  i.  e.  Cork  of  the  Lee.  Cork  at  an  early  period  had  obtained  the 
title  of  Cahir,  a  city. 


4 


THE  CITY  OF  CORK   TO  BAN  TRY  BAY. 


periodically  wasted  and  burned  the  city,  to  the  termination  of  the  no 
less  barbarous  warfare,  which  was  maintained  for  upwards  of  six  hundred 
years,  between  the  English  settlers  and  the  Irish  chieftains  who  refused 
to  acknowledge  allegiance  to  the  king  of  England.  Hollinshed  thus 
describes  the  wretched  state  of  the  city  in  1570: — "On  the  land  side 
they  are  encumbered  with  evil  neighbors — the  Irish  outlaws,  that  they 
are  fain  to  watch  their  gates  hourlie,  to  keep  them  shut  at  service- 
time,  at  meales,  from  sun  to  sun,  nor  suffer  aine  stranger  to  enter  the  citie 
with  his  weapon,  but  the  same  to  leave  at  a  lodge  appointed.  They  walke 
out  at  seasons  for  recreation  with  power  of  men  furnished.  They  trust 
not  the  countrie  adjoining,  but  match  in  wedlocke  among  themselves  onlie, 
so  that  the  whole  citie  is  well  nigh  linked  one  to  the  other  in  afFinite." 

These  "  Irish  outlaws,"  of  whom  Hollinshed  speaks,  were  the  McCarthys, 
the  Fitzgeralds,  the  O'Mahonys,  and  the  Barretts,  all  ancient  and 
powerful  Irish  families,  who,  had  they  been  but  united  in  their  efforts, 
would  have  easily  driven  the  English  from  the  city  ;  but  the  dissensions 
that  prevailed  amongst  them  always  defeated  their  grand  object.  These 
jealousies  it  was  the  avowed  policy  of  the  English  rulers  to  foster. 
Sir  George  Carew,  Lord  President  of  Munster,  in  1600,  fully  understanding 
the  disposition  of  the  people  he  had  to  contend  with,  says,  "  that  if 
the  heads  themselves  might  be  set  at  variance,  they  would  prove  the 
most  fit  instruments  to  ruine  one  another."  In  1493,  Perkin  Warbeck, 
the  impostor  king,  was  received  in  Cork  with  princely  honors  by  the 
mayor,  for  which  offence  the  city  was  deprived  of  its  charter,  and  the 
mayor  was  hanged  and  beheaded.  A  new  charter  was,  however,  again 
granted  to  the  city  in  1609.  During  the  Protectorate,  Cork  held  out 
as  a  loyal  city,  until  1649  when  it  was  surprised  and  taken,  by  the 
Parliamentary  forces,  and  the  Roman  Catholic  inhabitants  were  cruelly 
oppressed ;  several  of  its  leading  families  being  despoiled  of  their  estates 
and  possessions,  and  reduced  to  a  condition  of  comparative  indigence. 
A  new  race  was  thus  introduced  into  Cork,  consisting  of  those  Republican 
soldiers,  who,  having  received  from  Cromwell  grants  of  forfeited  property,  | 
settled  in  the  city,  where  their  descendants  still  continue  amongst  the 
most  influential  and  wealthy  of  its  people.  In  1688  the  inhabitants, 
having  espoused  the  cause  of  James  II.,  opened  their  gates  and  received 
him    into    the    city.     Two    years    afterwards    it    was   besieged  by  King 


THE  STREETS  OF  CORK. 


6 


William's  forces,  under  the  command  of  the  Duke  of  Marlborough,  and, 
after  a  vigorous  defence  of  five  days,  during  which  time  the  garrison 
was  reduced  to  great  extremities,  it  was  forced  to  capitulate.  This  siege 
is  only  remarkable  for  the  death  of  the  Duke  of  Grafton,  an  illegitimate 
son  of  Charles  II.,  who  served  as  a  volunteer  in  the  garrison,  and 
was  shot  by  a  blacksmith  from  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  on  the 
spot  where  the  memory  of  his  fate  has  been  perpetuated  in  the  name 
of  "Grafton  Alley." 

In  the  earlier  days  of  Cork,  while  it  was  yet  a  fortified  place, 
the  inhabitants  were  glad  to  compromise  comfort  for  security ;  and  we 
accordingly  find  that  the  ancient  citv  was  an  assemblage  of  houses 
huddled  together  on  the  smallest  possible  area,  with  little  regard  to 
regularity  or  convenience.  The  limits  of  the  city  were  formed  by  the 
Lee,  separating  into  two  principal  channels,  which  afterwards  rejoin, — 

"  The  spreading  Lee  that,  like  an  island  fayre, 
Encloseth  Corke  with  his  divided  flood  ; " — 

and  these  channels  with  minor  branches  which  then  intersected  the  city, 
gave  it  the  appearance  of  a  Dutch  town.  With  the  exception  of  the 
main  street,  there  was  none  in  the  ancient  town  in  which  two  carts 
could  pass ;  and  some  idea  may  be  conveyed  of  the  state  of  these  wretched 
thoroughfares  from  the  fact  that  a  miserable  alley,  not  more  than  ten  feet 
in  width,  was  at  one  time  considered  so  spacious  as  to  be  entitled  to 
the  name  of  "  Broad  Lane."  "In  the  dark  and  narrow  lanes  off  the 
main  streets,  ere  yet  the  city  had  outstept  its  walls,  many  of  the  public 
establishments  were  held."  In  Old  Bridewell  Lane,  a  passage  not  more 
than  four  feet  in  breadth,  stood  the  corn-market.  In  similar  narrow 
lanes  were  to  be  found  the  fish-market,  post-office  and  assembly-rooms. 
In  Dingle  Lane  stood  the  old  theatre,  upon  whose  boards  Barry  and 
Mossop  delighted  their  audiences  about  the  middle  of  last  century.  The 
advance  of  trade  and  civilization  have,  however,  wrought  important  changes 
in  this  city ;  and  on  the  sites  of  many  of  the  old  lanes  and  dirty  passages 
there  have  sprung  up  broad  and  regular  streets  filled  with  handsome  modern 
shops  and  private  dwellings.  Still,  the  streets  of  Cork  are  very  dissimilar 
in  character ;  some  being  broad  and  well  built,  while  the  greater  part 
remain  irregular,  narrow  and  unclean. 


6 


THE  CITY  OF  CORK   TO  BAN  TRY  BAY. 


The  principal  modern  streets  are  to  be  found  in  that  portion  of  the 
city  known  as  the  island,  and  comprised  within  the  two  branches  of  the 
river  already  referred  to.  Those  most  deserving  of  notice  are  Patrick 
Street,  which  is  of  great  width  and  forms  a  sort  of  crescent,  extending 
in  a  westerly  direction  to  the  Grand  Parade,  itself  a  fine  straight  street, 
on  which  was  formerly  conspicuously  situated  an  equestrian  statue  of 
George  II.  until  one  night,  some  years  ago,  when  it  disappeared  and 
was  found  in  the  river !  The  South  Mall  runs  at  right  angles  with  the 
parade ;  and  though  not  the  widest,  it  is  yet  the  most  respectable  street 
in  Cork,  being  inhabited  by  professional  men,  and  the  chief  merchants. 
These  streets  appear  to  occupy  the  sites  of  the  intercepting  branches 
of  the  river,  as  deep  channels  run  under  the  first  named,  while  the  last 
fills  a  position  that  a  century  ago  was  a  river,  its  southern  side  having 
been  one  shore  of  a  triangular  island,  the  other  two  shores  of  which 
were  Charlotte  Quay,  and  Morrison  Quay.  The  newest  and  most  regular 
street  is  Great  George  Street,  which  is  continued  as  the  Western  Road. 
Parallel  to  this  latter  is  the  celebrated  Mardyke,  once  the  promenade  of 
the  fashionables  of  Cork,  though  now  confined  to  the  trading  classes.  It 
extends  about  a  mile  along  the  bank  of  the  Lee,  and  within  the  peninsula 
formed  by  its  diverging  branches  ;  and,  being  well  sheltered  by  lofty  elms, 
which  form  a  natural  arch,  it  presents  a  cool  and  pleasing  resort  to 
which  a  foreign  appearance  is  imparted  at  night  by  the  glimmer  of  the 
lamps,  suspended  overhead,  which  illuminate  it.  To  the  left  of  this 
parade  we  have  a  view  of  Queen's  College,  a  handsome  quadrangular 
structure  in  Tudor  Gothic  style,  situated  on  a  slight  eminence  over  the 
southern  fork  of  the  river,  but  of  which  we  shall  speak  hereafter.  Beyond  the 
Mardyke,  the  city  is  not  well  supplied  with  open  air  places  of  public  resort, 
but  for  this  want  the  citizens  find  ample  compensation  in  their  beautiful 
suburbs.  There  is  nevertheless  a  Park  of  about  two  hundred  and  forty 
acres,  running  parallel  with  the  Lee,  but  it  is  flat  and  devoid  of  scenic 
attraction  except  a  pleasing  view  of  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river ;  still, 
it  is  well  patronized  in  the  early  part  of  May,  by  the  sporting  fraternity  of 
the  Emerald  Isle,  who  assemble  there  and  then,  to  witness  the  annual  races. 

The  bridges  connecting  the  island  in  the  centre  of  the  river  with  the 
shores  on  both  sides  are  six  in  number,  four  on  the  south  branch  and  two 
on  the  north.     Parliament  Bridge  on  the  south,  leading  into  the  South 


LITERARY  AND   SCIENTIFIC  INSTITUTIONS. 


7 


Mall,  and  Si  Patricks  Bridge  on  the  north,  are  both  handsome  structures, 
particularly  the  latter,  erected  in  i860.  It  is  constructed  of  lime-stone, 
consists  of  three  elliptic  arches,  surmounted  by  a  balustrade,  and  is  sixty 
feet  in  width  between  the  parapets.  It  occupies  the  site  of  an  old  bridge 
erected  in  1798,  which  was  partially  destroyed  by  a  flood  in  185 1.  This 
accident  resulted  from  a  continuous  rain  of  many  weeks,  in  the  mountainous 
region  wherein  the  river  finds  its  source,  which  caused  the  swollen  waters 
not  only  to  flood  part  of  the  city,  but  to  impart  such  force  to  the  surging 
stream,  that  it  roared  through  the  arches  of  the  bridge  like  a  cataract,  and 
eventually  carried  away  a  portion  of  one  of  them. 

The  public  buildings  of  Cork  are  numerous,  and  worthy  of  the 
acknowledged  taste  and  wealth  of  its  citizens.  Amongst  the  literary  and 
scientific  establishments,  the  Royal  Cork  Institution  occupies  a  conspicuous 
position;  it  was  founded  in  the  year  1803,  "for  the  diffusion  of  knowledge 
and  the  improvement  of  the  arts  and  sciences,"  and  is  a  highly  interesting 
establishment.  It  possesses  an  excellent  library,  which  contains,  amongst 
many  valuable  books,  some  rare  volumes  on  Irish  history.  In  the  museum 
attached  to  it  are  several  curious  works  of  art,  and  some  ancient 
monumental  stones,  inscribed  with  the  Ogham  character,  peculiar  to 
Ireland,  and  used  by  the  Druids  previous  to  the  introduction  of 
Christianity,  when  these  simple  letters  were  gradually  discarded,  and 
the  Roman  substituted. 

The  city  contains  other  pleasing  evidences  of  the  intellectual  character 
of  its  people,  and  of  the  rapid  strides  which  knowledge  has  made 
amongst  them  during  the  past  century.  This  is  evidenced  by  its 
possession  of  a  Public  Library,  Atheneum,  and  many  other  organizations 
of  a  literary  and  aesthetic  nature.  But  the  most  notable  of  its  institutions 
of  learning  is  Queens  College,  founded  under  an  act  passed  in  1845 
which  eave  similar  educational  establishments  to  the  sister  cities  of 
Belfast  and  Galway.  This  college  was  opened  in  1849  an<^  ls  beautifully 
situated  at  the  west  of  the  city,  on  a  rock  rising  fully  forty  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  southern  branch  of  the  Lee,  and  on  the  site  formerly 
occupied  by  Gill  Abbey,  founded  in  the  seventh  century  by  Gill  Ada, 
Bishop  of  Cork.  The  edifice  was  designed  by  Sir  Thomas  Deane,  and 
consists  of  three  sides  of  a  quadrangle,  in  the  Tudor  Gothic  style  of 
architecture,  with  a  tower  commanding  a  fine  view  of  the  city  and  the 


8 


THE    CITY  OF  CORK   TO  BAN  TRY  BAY. 


Lee,  and  has  been  characterized  by  Lord  Macaulay  "  as  worthy  to 
stand  in  the  High  street  of  Oxford."  The  college  is  open  to  all 
religious  sects  and  its  faculty  consists  of  a  president,  vice-president, 
and  about  twenty  professors  giving  instruction  in  ancient  and  modern 
languages  including  the  Celtic  Tongue,  mathematical  and  other  sciences, 
medicine,  engineering,  political  economy  and  law.  The  students  are 
compelled  to  lodge  in  licensed  boarding  houses,  which  are  under  the 
inspection  of  "  Deans  of  Residences,"  of  which  Deans  there  are 
three  in  number,  respectively  Episcopalian,  Presbyterian,  and  Roman 
Catholic.  The  college  has  power  to  grant  the  usual  literary  and  medical 
degrees,  and  diplomas  of  Engineering.  Four  years  study  is  required  for 
the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts,  which  costs  in  class  and  other  fees  ^32  ; 
while  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  may  be  had  in  three  years  at  a 
cost  of  ^29.  An  educational  institution  of  a  less  exalted  character  is 
the  A gricidtttral  Model  School,  situated  on  the  new  Ballincollig  Road, 
about  a  mile  to  the  west  of  the  Queen's  College  ;  it  is  a  limestone 
building  of  the  Elizabethan  character,  and  has  attached  improved  offices 
and  a  farm  of  about  120  acres.  The  pupils  here  receive  a  moderate 
literary  education  and  practical  instruction  in  farming,  with  subsistence, 
at  the  rate  of  £12  per  annum. 

If  we  turn  from  the  graceful  walks  of  literature  to  the  path  of 
Christian  charity,  we  find,  in  the  various  hospitals  and  charitable  institutions 
of  which  this  city  boasts,  ample  proofs  of  the  active  benevolence  of  the 
inhabitants. 

To  a  church  Cork  owes  its  origin,  and  by  a  sort  of  hereditary  tendency, 
she  has  ever  since  been  remarkably  prolific  in  ecclesiastical  buildings.  In 
the  reign  of  Edward  IV.  there  were  eleven  churches  and  parishes  in  and 
adjoining  the  city :  some  of  these  have  long  ceased  to  exist,  but  their 
loss  has  been  amply  compensated  by  the  number  of  churches,  chapels, 
and  dissenting  houses  of  worship  which  have  grown  up  in  modern  times. 

In  the  unattractive  south-west  portion  of  the  city,  situated  on  a  slight 
eminence  near  the  margin  of  the  south-west  branch  of  the  river  is  the 
Cathedral  of  St.  Finn  Barr,  the  present  edifice  being  the  third  that  has 
stood  upon  the  same  spot  since  the  original  foundation  by  that  saint, 
in  the  seventh  century.  No  particulars  are  preserved  of  the  character 
of  the  first  building ;  but  we  learn  that,  having  fallen  into  a  state  of 


THE  CATHEDRAL   OF  ST.  FINN  BARR. 


9 


"decay  and  ruin,"  it  was  taken  down  in  1725.*  Its  successor,  erected 
ten  years  later,  was  a  small  inelegant  structure,  with  a  stumpy  spire, 
surmounting  a  plain  tower,  without  buttress  or  ornament  of  any  description  ; 
the  tower  having,  it  is  believed,  formed  a  part  of  the  old  church.  The 
manner  in  which  the  funds  for  its  erection  were  raised  is  peculiar, 
namely,  by  the  levy  of  a  tax  on  all  the  importations  of  coal  for  five  years. 
But  the  march  of  improvement  swept  away  this  humble  cathedral  in  the 
last  decade,  and  its  place  is  now  supplied  by  a  more  commodious  edifice 
erected  from  designs  by  Mr.  Burges  of  London.  It  is  in  the  Transition- 
Norman  style  of  architecture,  and  its  interior  arrangements  consist  of 
nave,  aisle,  and  transept  together  with  an  apsidal  choir  and  ambulatory. 
Near  the  cathedral  are  the  Episcopal  palace  and  a  church-yard  or 
cemetery.  One  of  the  ancient  Touragans,  or  Round  Towers,  stood  in 
a  corner  of  the  latter  until  about  the  middle  of  the  last  century,  when 
it  was  taken  down.  M.  de  Boullaye  le  Gouz,  in  1644,  described  it  as 
ten  or  twelve  feet  in  circumference  at  the  base,  and  upwards  of  one  hundred 
feet  in  height.  It  appears  to  have  been  built  without  cement ;  and  the 
entrance  to  have  been  several  feet  from  the  ground.  According  to  the 
litany  of  St.  yEngus  Killedeus,  written  in  the  ninth  century,  this 
burying-ground  is  the  resting  place  of  St.  Finn  Barr  the  founder,  St. 
Nessan,  and  seventeen  bishops  and  seven  hundred  other  pious  and  learned 
men  who  flourished  in  the  early  days  of  the  church ;  but  there  remains 
no  tomb  or  memorial  to  confirm  the  statement.  Hanmer  repeats  an 
ancient  legend  respecting  the  extraordinary  sanctity  of  the  place,  to  the 
effect  that  the  ground  was  so  privileged  that  no  man  dying  penitent  and 
buried  therein  should  feel  the  torments  of  hell. 

The  church  of  St.  Anne  Shandon  stands  on  an  eminence  on  the  north 
side  of  the  city ;  and,  with  its  singularly  constructed  and  disproportionately 
lofty  steeple,f  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  in  height,  forms  a  conspicuous 

*  Upon  the  surrender  of  Cork  to  the  Parliamentary  army,  during  the  war  of  the  Protectorate,  Oliver  Cromwell 
was  a  sojourner  for  a  few  days,  when  he  directed  the  church  bells  to  be  taken  down  and  converted  into  cannon  ; 
and  is  said  to  have  answered  a  remonstrance  on  the  subject  with  the  facetious  remark  "  that  since  gunpowder 
was  invented  by  a  priest,  he  thought  the  best  use  for  bells  would  be  to  promote  them  into  Canons." 

\  The  many  storied  tower  which  supports  the  steeple  has,  curiously  enough,  two  of  its  sides  built  with  lime- 
stone, and  the  two  others  with  brown  stone. 

"  Party-colored  like  the  people, 
Red  and  white  stands  Shandon  steeple." 
A  previous  edifice  having  been  destroyed  by  fire,  the  building  of  the  present  church  was  commenced  in  1722 

2 


10 


THE  CITY  OF  CORK   TO  BAN  TRY  BAY. 


object  amongst  the  less  aspiring  buildings  by  which  it  is  surrounded.  It 
contains  a  peal  of  very  sweetly  toned  bells,  which  the  pen  of  the  inimit- 
able Father  Prout — Rev.  Francis  Mahoney,  who  died  in  1865,  and  lies  buried 
in  the  church-yard — has  celebrated  in  an  exquisite  ballad,  wherein  he  pays 
a  natural  tribute  of  fond  recollection  to  his  native  city,  and  the  "magic 
spells"  of  his  childhood: — 

"  On  this  I  ponder 
Where'er  I  wander, 
And  thus  grow  fonder, 

Sweet  Cork,  of  thee. 
With  thy  bells  of  Shandon, 
That  sound  so  grand  on 
The  pleasant  waters 

Of  the  river  Lee." 

Another  ecclesiastical  edifice  worthy  of  special  mention  is  St.  Patrick's 
Roman  Catholic  Church.  Its  style  of  architecture  is  of  the  Grecian 
order,  the  principal  external  features  of  the  building  being  a  portico 
supported  by  eight  lofty  columns,  and  above  the  roof  a  cupola  borne 
upon  the  same  number  of  Corinthian  columns,  each  bearing  a  figure 
representing  one  of  the  apostles ;  the  whole  being  surmounted  by  a 
cross.  The  Roman  Catholic  Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  a  Gothic 
structure,  is  chiefly  interesting  from  its  having  been  founded  by  the  late 
Theobald  Mathew,  the  apostle  of  temperance.  It  contains  a  stained 
glass  window  purchased  with  the  fund  raised  in  Cork  for  the  O'Connell 
monument.  St.  Marys  Church,  belonging  to  the  Dominicans,  is  a  Grecian 
structure,  with  an  hexastyle  portico  of  the  Ionic  order;  while  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church  of  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul,  near  to  Patrick  Street,  is  a 
rich  Gothic  building,  erected  at  a  cost  of  ,£30,000,  from  designs  by 
the  celebrated  E.  W.  Pugin. 

Numerous  monastic  establishments  existed  here  previous  to  the  reign 
of  Henry  VIII.,  but  the  Reformation  with  ruthless  hand  swept  away  all 
the  conventual  edifices,  and  scarcely  a  vestige  of  one  of  them  remains  at 
the  present  day  to  direct  the  antiquarian  in  his  curious  researches,  or  to 
form  an  object  of  interest  to  the  sight-hunting  tourist. 

and  the  materials  used  in  the  construction  of  its  steeple  were  hewn  stone  from  the  Franciscan  Abbey,  where  James 
II.  heard  mass,  and  from  the  ruins  of  Lord  Barry's  castle,  once  the  official  residence  of  the  lords-president  of 
Munster,  whence,  says  Crofton  Croker,  this  part  of  the  city  derived  its  name— Shandon  (Seandon)  signifying  in 
Irish  the  old  fort  or  castle. 


DISTINGUISHED  NATIVES  OF  CORK. 


11 


Among  the  other  public  buildings  of  Cork  deserving  special  mention 
are,  the  Mansion  Hoicse,  near  the  Mardyke ;  the  Bank  of  Ireland ;  the 
Stamp  Office;  the  County  Club  Hotcse  ;  the  Commercial  Buildings ;  the 
Protestant  Hall,  in  the  South  Mall ;  the  C7csto?n  House,  occupying  a  tongue 
of  land,  where  the  two  streams  meet  at  a  somewhat  acute  anode  on  the 
eastern  side  of  the  city,  with  the  whole  stretch  of  the  river  Lee  on  its 
east,  and  with  the  termini  of  the  railways  to  Dublin  and  Queenstown  on 
its  north,  and  to  Bandon  and  Passage  on  its  south ;  the  Corn  Exchange ; 
the  County  and  City  Jails ;  and  the  Lunatic  Asylum. 

The  Theatre  Royal  provides  for  the  wants  of  patrons  of  dramatic  art, 
but  theatricals  appear  to  have  never  been  well  supported  in  Cork.  Still,  it 
was  here  that  encouragement  was  first  given  to  the  comic  talent  of  Mrs. 
Jordan,  who  appeared  in  this  city  when  only  seventeen  years  of  age;  and 
it  claims  to  have  been  the  birthplace  of  Miss  Farren,  the  popular  actress, 
who  afterwards  became  Countess  of  Derby.  In  fact  Cork  has  been  specially 
favored  in  being  the  cradle  of  many  persons  who  have  risen  to  eminence 
in  literature  and  art,  among  whom  may  be  mentioned  Daniel  Maclise 
and  James  Barry  the  painters,  Sheridan  Knowles,  Dr.  Maginn,  Haynes 
Bayley,  Crofton  Croker,  Francis  Mahoney,  Richard  Milliken  author  of  the 
"  Groves  of  Blarney,"  and  Hogan  the  sculptor.  Here  also  was  created 
one  of  the  master  pieces  of  English  Literature,  for  it  was  in  this  city  and 
its  vicinity  that  Edward  Spenser  wrote  the  "Faerie  Oueene."  It  was  here 
too  that  William  Penn  may  be  said  to  have  assumed  a  new  life ;  for  it 
was  in  Cork  that  the  Father  of  Pennsylvania  became  a  convert  to  Quakerism, 
having  changed  his  religion  under  the  preaching  of  one  Thomas  Lowe, 
while  on  a  visit  to  the  city  to  look  after  some  of  his  father's  (Sir  William 
Penn,)  property,  on  which  occasion  he  was  thrown  into  prison,  with  eighteen 
fellow  convicts,  but  was  speedily  released.  And  it  was  from  the  shores  of 
the  river  Lee  that  he  sailed  for  the  western  world  to  found  the  colony  to 
which  he  gave  his  name,  and  which  has  now  become  the  "Keystone  State" 
of  a  Great  Republic.  His  descendants  still  reside  in  Cork,  and  occupy  the 
paternal  acres  of  which  he  died  possessed. 

As  we  have  elsewhere  observed,  Cork,  in  a  general  point  of  view,  has 
considerably  improved  within  the  present  century ;  and  it  has  now  the 
appearance  of  a  thriving  and  healthful  city.  It  had  a  population  of  78,382, 
at  the  time  of  the  taking  of  the  census  in  187 1  ;   and  it  lays  claim  to  be 


12  THE  CITY  OF  CORK   TO  BAN  TRY  BAY. 

considered  the  capital  of  the  south  of  Ireland.  It  returns  two  members 
to  parliament,  and  is  a  corporate  city,  governed  by  a  mayor,  sixteen  aldermen, 
and  forty-eight  counsellors,  with  a  staff  of  paid  officials.  Its  export  trade 
principally  consists  of  grain,  butter,  and  other  provisions,  which  are  shipped 
to  Liverpool,  Bristol  and  the  Welsh  ports,  in  exchange  for  coal,  and  is  of 
sufficient  magnitude  to  throng  its  docks  with  shipping ;  while  the  activity 
discernible  on  its  quays  and  streets  is  a  cheering  evidence  of  the  prosperity 
it  has  attained  by  the  industry  and  intelligence  of  its  inhabitants.  In  1850 
Cork  became  connected  by  railway  with  Dublin;  and  now  Queenstown,  Bandon, 
and  other  places  in  the  south  of  Ireland  are  brought  within  easy  reach  by 
the  same  method  of  transportation.  And  it  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  in 
1852,  but  one  year  after  the  first  world-renowned  exhibition  of  London, 
an  industrial  exhibition  of  no  mean  character  was  held  in  this  city. 

The  proverbially  humid  state  of  the  atmosphere,  and  the  great  quantity 
of  rain  which  falls  in  Cork,  have  very  frequently  had  the  effect  of  preju- 
dicing strangers  against  a  place  which  they  have  only  seen  under  most 
unfavorable  circumstances :  but  no  one  who  has  resided  there  for  any 
time,  with  leisure  and  opportunity  to  view  it  thoroughly,  has  ever  denied 
its  being  a  handsome  city,  though  the  natives,  with  excusable  partiality, 
have  called  it  "the  beautiful."  Another  instance  of  their  pride  of  home  is 
the  fact,  that  they  never  speak  of  Cork  but  as  "the  city."  "Welcome  to 
the  city;"  "When  did  you  leave  the  city?"  is  the  manner  in  which  a  native 
would  be  certain  to  address  you,  and  a  stranger  could  scarcely  wound  his 
dignity  more  effectually  than  by  speaking  of  the  "beautiful  city"  as  a  town. 
The  manners  of  the  Cork  people  are  exceedingly  urbane ;  a  natural  kind- 
ness and  sauvity  of  disposition  at  once  removes  the  chilling  barriers  to 
social  intercourse  which  require  long  and  tedious  formalities  to  surmount 
in  the  sister  island,  and  renders  a  sojourn  in  Cork  peculiarly  gratifying  to 
a  stranger.  The  habit,  however,  of  using  the  gentle  oil  of  flattery  in  con- 
versation— which  amongst  the  lower  classes  is  carried  to  an  extent  perfectly 
oriental — has  obtained  for  the  Corkonians  the  epithet  of  "  sweet-tongued," 
and  a  character  for  insincerity,  which  they  do  not  deserve.  The  poetical 
licenses  which  these  imaginative  people  allow  themselves  in  their  ardent 
professions  of  attachment,  are  no  more  to  be  taken  literally  than  the 
unbounded  liberality  of  the  Spaniard,  who,  on  your  first  introduction  to 
him,  earnestly  requests  your  acceptance  of  his  house  and  all  that  it  contains. 


CHARACTERISTICS  OF   THE  CITIZENS  OF  CORK. 


13 


Divesting  their  flowery  eloquence  of  its  "taste  of  the  blarney,"  there  will 
be  found  beneath  it  a  rich  fund  of  noble  and  generous  feeling,  which  a 
little  kindness  never  fails  to  ripen  into  warm  and  genuine  friendship. 

The  lower  order  of  the  population  of  Cork  are  a  lively  and  hard-working 
race — improvident  in  their  habits — strongly  attached  to  old  customs — intelli- 
gent and  ready  withal — warm  and  sudden  in  friendship,  but  equally  sudden 
and  violent  in  quarrel.  They  had  formerly  the  character  of  being  addicted 
to  that  bane  of  Ireland's  peace  and  prosperity — whiskey;  but  the  moral 
revolution  wrought,  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  by  the  Rev. 
Father  Mathew,  whose  truly  pious  exertions  were  the  means  of  reclaiming 
millions  of  his  countrymen  from  the  use  of  intoxicating  liquors,  is  nowhere 
more  strikingly  demonstrated  than  in  this  his  native  city,*  where  he  com- 
menced those  benevolent  labors  which  have  since  yielded  so  abundant  a 
harvest  of  good  to  Ireland  ;  and  where,  in  Patrick  Street,  on  October  8th, 
1S64,  a  statue  was  inaugurated  to  his  memory,  and  in  commemoration  of 
his  good  deeds. 

The  talented  author  of  "  Vanity  Fair "  is  very  outspoken  in  his  remarks 
concerning  the  people  of  Cork,  and  his  estimate  of  their  character  is,  cer- 
tainly, highly  flattering.  "The  charming  gayety  and  frankness  of  the  Irish 
ladies,"  says  Mr.  Thackeray,  "have  been  noted  and  admired  by  every 
foreigner  who  has  had  the  good  fortune  to  mingle  in  their  society ;  and  I 
hope'  it  is  not  detracting  from  the  merit  of  the  upper  classes  to  say  that 
the  lower  are  not  a  whit  less  pleasing.  I  never  saw  in  any  country 
such  a  general  grace  of  manner  and  ladyhood.  In  the  midst  of  their  gayety, 
too,  it  must  be  remembered  that  they  are  the  chastest  of  women,  and  that 
no  country  in  Europe  can  boast  of  such  a  general  purity.  In  regard  to 
the  Munster  ladies,  I  had  the  pleasure  to  be  present  at  two  or  three 
evening  parties  at  Cork,  and  must  say  that  they  seem  to  excel  the  English 
ladies  not  only  in  wit  and  vivacity,  but  in  the  still  more  important  article 
of  the  toilet.    They  are  as  well  dressed  as  Frenchwomen,  and  incomparably 

*  Father  Mathew  received  the  rudiments  of  his  education  at  Kilkenny,  thence  proceeded  to  Ma)-nooth,  took  orders 

in  Dublin,  and  began  his  ministerial  labors  in  Cork.    On  entering  upon  his  career  as  an  apostle  of  temperance,  he 

was,  strange  to  relate,  supDlied  with  funds  by  his  brother-in-law,  a  distiller,  who  was  eventually  brought  to  bankruptcy. 

In  consideration  of  Father  Mathew's  exertions  as  a  moral  reformer,  the  British  Government  afterwards  settled  upon 

him  an  annuity  of  three  hundred  pounds.    Thackeray,  meeting  him  in  Cork  at  the  height  of  his  influence,  tells  us  that  no 

man  seemed  more  eager  for  the  practical  improvement  of  Ireland.    "  Leases  and  rents,  fanning  improvements,  reading 

societies,  music  societies — he  was  full  of  all  these,  and  of  his  schemes  of  temperance  above  all." 
•2—2 


14 


THE    CITY  OF  CORK   TO  BAN  TRY  BAY. 


handsomer."  And  in  speaking  of  the  sterner  sex,  he  writes,  "in  regard  to 
the  gentlemen,  a  stranger  too  must  remark  the  extraordinary  degree  of 
literary  taste  and  talent  amongst  them,  and  the  wit  and  vivacity  of  their 
conversation.  .  .  .  The  Cork  citizens  are  the  most  book-loving  men 
I  ever  met.  The  town  has  sent  to  England  a  number  of  literary  men,  of 
reputation  too,  and  is  not  a  little  proud  of  their  fame.  .  .  .  The 
young  clerks  and  shopmen  seemed  as  much  au  fait  as  their  employers, 
and  many  is  the  conversation  I  heard  about  the  merits  of  this  writer  or 
that.  I  think  in  walking  the  streets,  and  looking  at  the  ragged  urchins 
crowding  there,  every  Englishman  must  remark  that  the  superiority  of 
intelligence  is  here,  and  not  with  us.  I  listened  to  two  boys  almost  in 
rags :  they  were  lolling  over  the  quay  balustrade,  and  talking  about  one  of 
the  Ptolemy s !  and  talking  very  well  too.  One  of  them  had  been  reading 
in  "  Rollin,"  and  was  detailing  his  information  with  a  great  deal  of  eloquence 
and  fire." 

The  vernacular  of  Cork  is  perfectly  distinct  from  that  spoken  in  other 
parts  of  Ireland,  it  is  a  patois  peculiar  to  itself,  and  "may  be  regarded  as 
the  ancient  Cockneyism  of  the  mixed  race  who  held  the  old  city,  Danes, 
English,  and  Irish."  The  intercourse  with  strangers,  which  has  increased 
with  the  rapidly  extending  commerce  of  the  city,  has  however  done  much 
to  remove  this  peculiarity  of  dialect. 

The  suburbs  of  Cork,  on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  possess  fewer 
pictorial  attractions  than  those  on  the  northern  shore.  The  Lough  of  Cork, 
a  considerable  sheet  of  water  south-west  of  the  city,  is  the  scene  of  one 
of  Crofton  Croker's  popular  legends.  He  says,  that  it  was  once  a  small 
fairy  well,  covered  by  a  stone,  concerning  which  a  tradition  had  been 
handed  down  from  remote  times,  which  predicted,  that  if  the  stone  which 
covered  the  well  were  not  replaced  every  morning,  after  the  dwellers  in 
the  valley  had  taken  from  it  their  daily  supply  of  water,  a  torrent  would 
rush  forth,  inundate  the  vale,  and  drown  all  the  inhabitants.  This  calamity 
was  at  length  incurred  by  a  certain  princess,  who,  neglecting  the  injunction, 
forgot  to  close  the  mouth  of  the  well,  and  caused  the  destruction  of  her 
father  and  his  people.  Legends  like  unto  this  are,  however,  told  of  many 
other  lakes  in  Ireland.  Cambrensis  and  Hollinshed  both  relate  a  very 
similar  story,  which  they  apply  to  Lough  Neagh,  in  whose  waters  it  is 
said,  a  "whole  territorie  were  drowned,"  and  that  "still  the  fishers,  in  a 


THE  SUBURBS  OF  CORK.  15 

clear  sunnie  daie,  see  the  steeples  and  other  piles  plainlie  and  distinctlie 
in  the  water."  Moore  has  thus  paraphrased  this  idea  in  one  of  his  beau- 
tiful melodies. — 

"  By  Lough  Neagh's  bank,  as  the  fisherman  strays, 
When  the  clear  cold  eve's  declining, 
He  sees  the  round  towers  of  other  days 
In  the  wave  beneath  him  shining." 

Other  sheets  of  water  of  a  more  practical  character  are  found  in  three 
large  reservoirs,  situated  about  three  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
city,  which  are  capable  of  supplying  the  inhabitants  with  two  and  a  half 
million  gallons  of  fresh  water  drawn  from  the  river  Lee.  The  water-works 
were  constructed  at  an  expense  of  ,£70,000,  a  very  moderate  sum,  when 
their  extensive  character  is  taken  in  consideration. 

The  Cemetery,  near  the  village  of  Evergreen,  occupies  the  ground 
formerly  taken  up  by  the  Botanic  Garden,  which  on  the  failure  of  that 
enterprise,  was  in  1830  transformed  to  its  present  use,  by  Father  Mathew. 
It  is  a  handsome  plot  of  land  and  has  been  laid  out  after  the  style  of 
the  famous  Pere  la  Chaise,  in  Paris,  the  walks  being  tastefully  arranged,  and 
adorned  with  flowers  and  shrubs,  intermingled  with  the  weeping-willow 
and  the  dark  cypress,  whose  hearse-like  plumes  wave  above  the  grave  of 
the  forgotten  dust — 

"  Sad  tree  that  droops  when  oth^-s'  griefs  are  fled, 
The  only  constant  mourner  o'er  the  dead." 

One  of  the  finest  monuments  in  the  cemetery  is  the  production  of  the  sculptor 
Hogan,  and  consists  of  the  figure  of  an  angel,  in  white  Italian  marble, 
surmounting  a  sarcophagus  of  Portland  stone.  It  was  erected  by  a 
clothier  of  the  city,  who  taking  a  liking  to  the  artist,  his  fellow-townsman, 
ordered  his  own  monument,  and  had  the  gratification  to  see  it  arrive  from 
Rome  a  few  weeks  before  his  death. 

If  a  stranger  pass  from  the  south  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  river, 
and  should  seek  out  the  celebrated  "grove  of  Blackpool,"  he  will  be 
disappointed  to  find  the  sylvan  retreat  that  his  imagination  has  pictured, 
transformed  into  a  poor  suburb,  without  a  single  tree  to  lend  its  shade 
to  the  once  umbrageous  haunt  of  the  muses,  and  the 

"  Birth-place  of  sweet  song," 

where  the  lyrics  of  many  a  street-minstrel  were  first  warbled  to  admiring 


16 


THE  CITY  OF  CORK   TO  BAN  TRY  BAY. 


crowds.  Sunday's  Well  is  another  suburb  occupying  the  south  side  of 
the  hill,  which  overhangs  the  river,  and  is  considered  a  remarkably 
healthy  locality.  The  prospect  from  it  is  delightful,  and  from  one  of  its 
elevated  positions  the  view  of  the  city  and  the  winding  river  with  its 
picturesque  shores  is  absolutely  magnificent.  These  attractions  made 
Sunday's  Well  formerly  a  favorite  retreat  for  the  citizens,  who  had 
their  homes  in  many  pretty  cottages  embosomed  in  gardens  and  pleasure- 
grounds.  The  place  takes  its  name  from  one  of  those  ancient  wells, 
which,  before  the  introduction  of  Christianity,  were  held  sacred  by 
the  Druids,  and  were  afterwards  converted  by  the  Christian  missionaries 
to  the  promotion  of  the  religion  they  came  to  teach.  The  water  is 
very  clear  and  cold,  but  pleasant  to  the  taste,  and  is  supposed  from 
its  sacred  character  to  possess  peculiarly  sanative  virtues  in  many  diseases. 
In  this  village  the  facetious  and  learned  Father  O'Leary  once  resided  ; 
and,  according  to  Mr.  Windele,  the  ill-fated  Lord  Edward  Fitzgerald  lay 
concealed  for  some  time  in  a  cottage  near  the  present  basin — the  place 
was  called  Jemmapes.  In  speaking  of  the  circumstance,  he  makes  the 
following  remarks  : — "  It  would  appear  from  his  (Lord  Edward  Fitzgerald's) 
life,  by  Mr.  Moore,  that,  after  concealment  had  become  necessary,  he  had 
sought  it  either  in  the  immediate  neighborhood,  or  in  the  city  of  Dublin  ; 
but  many  persons  are  still  living  cognizant  of  his  sojourn  at  Jemmapes, 
and  who  also  met  him  at  some  of  those  private  meetings  of  United  Irish- 
men, at  that  time  held  almost  nightly  in  the  city." 

From  the  barracks  which  crown  the  heights  on  the  north  side  of  the 
river,  another  noble  and  extensive  prospect  may  be  obtained.  Descending 
on  the  eastern  side  of  the  hill,  we  approach  the  beautiful  and  justly  cele- 
brated suburb  of  Glanmire.  It  receives  its  name  from  the  little  river 
Glanmire,*  which,  stealing  like  a  coy  virgin  from  its  leafy  covert,  unites 
with  the  broad  Lee,  about  three  miles  from  the  quay  of  Cork.  A  delightful 
walk  opened  to  the  public,  adjoins  the  city  on  the  Glanmire  side.  It  runs 
parallel  to  the  river  midst  a  wilderness  of  trees  and  flowering  shrubs, 
through  whose  interlacing  branches,  glimpses  of  the  Lee,  with  numerous 
white  sails  flitting  over  its  bright  waters,  may  be  occasionally  caught. 

Although  the  road  under  the  brow  of  the  Glanmire  hills,  crowned  as 


*  The  probable  derivation  of  the  name  Glanmire  appears  to  be  from  two  Irish  words  signifying  the  Vale  of 
Pleasantry,  although  Dr.  O'Brien  in  his  Irish  Dictionary  has  drawn  it  from  a  less  obvious  source. 


THE  BLARNEY  STONE  AND   ITS  VIRTUES. 


1? 


they  are  with  superb  country  seats  and  overlooking  the  winding  arm  of 
the  bay,  combines  more  points  of  the  picturesque  than  is  often  to  be  met 
with ;  it  is  from  the  river  that  the  finest  views  of  its  enchanting  shores  can 
be  had.  Still  we  cannot  dwell  on  their  beauties  here,  but  must  request  our 
readers  to  accompany  us  in  our  pilgrimage  to  the  far-famed  Blarney  Stone. 

Blarney  village  lies  within  six  miles  of  Cork  along  the  railway  leading 
to  Dublin.  The  principal  object  of  curiosity  that  it  possesses  is  its  old 
castle,  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  station,  which  stands  on  a  precipitous 
limestone  rock,  at  whose  base  flows  the  Murteen,  a  small  river  of  consid- 
erable beauty.  A  massive  square  pile,  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet 
in  height,  which  formed  the  donjon  or  great  tower,  is  all  that  now 
remains  of  the  extensive  outworks  and  defences  which  extended  of  old 
around  it  in  every  direction,  and  covered,  it  is  said,  a  space  of  ground, 
whose  interior  area  or  court-yard  measured  eight  acres.  The  walls  are  of 
immense  thickness,  and  must,  before  the  introduction  of  artillery,  have  been 
impregnable.  The  roof  and  all  the  floors  have  long  since  disappeared ; 
but  the  curious  visitor  may,  by  a  little  worming  through  the  narrow  spiral 
staircase,  and  occasionally  putting  his  neck  in  jeopardy,  succeed  in  explor- 
ing all  the  chambers,  particularly  that  called  the  "Earl's  Chamber,"  which 
is  still  pointed  out  as  the  favorite  apartment  of  one  of  the  earls  of 
Clancarty,  the  former  possessors  of  the  castle. *  This  room  was  cheerily 
lighted  by  a  large  bay  window,  commanding  a  pleasing  prospect  of  the 
adjacent  country ;  and  there  remain  even  at  this  time,  visible  marks  that  it 
was  formerly  fitted  up  with  some  regard  to  comfort  as  well  as  elegance. 
Sir  Walter  Scott  visited  Blarney,  in  company  with  Mr.  Lockhart  and  Miss 
Edgeworth,  and  was  present  at  the  ceremonial  of  kissing  the  "  Blarney 
Stone." 

To  this  stone  the  castle  owes  more  of  its  celebrity  than  to  its  historic 
recollections.  A  curious  legend  attributes  to  it  the  power  of  endowing 
whoever  kisses  it  with  the  sweet,  persuasive,  wheedling  eloquence,  so 
perceptible  in  the  language  of  the  Cork  people,  which  is  generally  termed 

*  Blarney  Castle  was  built  in  the  middle  of  the  fifteenth  century,  by  Cormac  McCarthy,  surnamed  "  the  Strong," 
and  was  long  the  residence  of  the  princely  race  of  the  McCarthys,  Lords  of  Muskerry,  Barons  of  Blarney,  and  Earls 
of  Clancarty,  who  were  descended  from  the  Kings  of  Munster.  During  the  Revolution  it  was  held  for  James  II. , 
and  besieged  by  the  forces  of  the  Prince  of  Orange,  who  compelled  the  garrison  to  surrender.  It  is  now  the  property 
of  Sir  George  Colthurst,  Bart,  of  Ardrum,  who  represented  Cork  in  Parliament  for  several  years  ;  and  who  married 
the  only  daughter  of  St.  John  Jeffreys,  Esq.  whose  ancestor,  General  Sir  James  Jeffreys,  purchased  the  estate  in  1703. 

3 


18 


THE  CITY  OF  CORK   TO  BAN  TRY  BAY. 


"Blarney"  This  is  the  true  meaning  of  the  word,  and  not,  as  some 
writers  have  supposed,  a  faculty  of  deviating  from  veracity  with  an  unblush- 
ing countenance  whenever  it  may  be  convenient.  But  the  stone  did  not 
reach  the  full  zenith  of  its  talismanic  power  until  1799,  when  Richard 
Milliken,  the  Cork  poet,  or,  as  he  has  been  styled,  the  "Blarney  Laureate" 
wrote  his  well  known  song  "The  Groves  of  Blarney,"  which  gave  to  the 
castle  and  the  grounds,  a  notoriety  they  did  not  previously  possess.  The 
lines  describing  the  virtue  of  the  stone  are  as  follows : 

"  There  is  a  stone  there  "  A  clever  spouter 

That  whoever  kisses,  He'll  sure  turn  out,  or 

O,  he  never  misses  An  out  and  outer, 

To  grow  eloquent ;  '  To  be  let  alone.' 

'Tis  he  may  clamber,  Don't  hope  to  hinder  him 

To  a  lady's  chamber,  Or  to  bewilder  him, 

Or  become  a  member  Sure  he's  a  pilgrim 

Of  Parliament.  From  the  Blarney  Stone  ! " 

This  song  which  has  achieved  so  high  a  reputation,  was  intended  as 
a  burlesque  upon  some  of  the  wordy  ditties  with  which  ignorant  pedantry 
used  to  astonish  the  village  circles.  The  words,  however,  were  not  written, 
as  some  believe,  to  the  air  to  which  Moore  adapted  his  "  Last  Rose  of 
Summer,"  but  to  another  old  Irish  melody.  A  version  of  the  lyric  appears 
in  Crofton  Croker's  "  Popular  Songs  of  Ireland,"  and  it  is  also  printed 
in  the  "  Reliques  of  Father  Prout,"  accompanied  by  Latin,  Greek,  French, 
and  Italian  translations,  the  productions  of  the  facetious  Mahoney,  and 
wonders  of  classic  ability. 

Notwithstanding  the  celebrity  of  this  stone,  a  perplexing  doubt  exists 
as  to  its  identity.  Some  of  the  guides  point  out  as  the  "  real "  stone, 
one  placed  on  the  highest  part  of  the  battlement  at  the  northeast  corner 
of  the  tower,  upon  which  the  date  1 703  has  been  cut.  We,  however, 
incline  with  those  best  acquainted  with  the  antiquarian  traditions  of  the 
castle,  to  concede  the  tongue-sweetening  virtues  to  a  stone  which  forms 
part  of  the  face  of  the  wall  several  feet  below  the  parapet ;  and  which 
bore  a  Latin  inscription,  now  illegible,  giving  the  date  of  erection  (1446) 
and  the  name  of  the  founder.  A  ball  from  the  cannon  of  Lord  Broghill, 
who  in  1643  attacked  and  took  the  castle,  struck  and  displaced  this 
celebrated  stone,  but  it  has  been  subsequently  secured  in  its  position 
by  means  of  a  strong  iron  clamp.     Persons  desirous  of  kissing  it  must 


BLARNEY  LAKE  AND  ITS  TRADITIONS. 


19 


submit  to  the  unpleasant  operation  of  being  suspended  by  the  heels, 
and  lowered,  head  downwards,  from  the  summit  of  the  tower,  at  the 
alarming  height  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  from  the  ground, 
before  they  can  reach  it  ;  and  as  this  is  the  only  way  by  which  access 
can  be  gained  to  the  genuine  stone,  it  is  not  strange  that  the  majority 
of  those  who  visit  Blarney  should  prefer  performing  the  osculatory 
ceremony  on  the  more  accessible  stone,  to  risking  their  necks  in  the 
highly  perilous,  and  certainly  not  very  graceful,  mode  of  reaching  the 
other.  The  grounds  attached  to  the  castle  are  still  remarkable  for 
their  beauty.  They  were,  however,  formerly  adorned  with  statues,  grottoes, 
alcoves,  bridges,  and  every  description  of  rustic  ornament ;  and  before 
man's  avarice  had  obliterated  many  of  its  charms,  the  place  must  have 
been  a  perfect   little  Eden. 

Blarney  Lake,  a  pretty  sheet  of  water,  lies  about  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  from  the  castle  ;  it  would,  however,  be  scarcely  worth  noticing, 
were  it  not  connected  with  some  old  tradition  of  a  herd  of  enchanted 
white  cows,  that  at  certain  seasons  are  said  to  come  up  out  of  the 
lake  to  graze  amongst  the  luxuriant  pastures  on  its  banks.  There  is 
also  a  story  generally  current  amongst  the  peasantry,  that  the  Earl  of 
Clancarty  who  forfeited  the  castle  at  the  Revolution,  cast  all  his  plate 
and  treasures  into  a  certain  part  of  the  lake,  and  that  "  three  of  the 
McCarthys  inherit  the  secret  of  the  place  where  they  are  deposited  ;  any 
one  of  whom  dying,  communicates  it  to  another  of  the  family,  and  thus 
perpetuates  the  secret  which  is  never  to  be  revealed  until  a  McCarthy  be 
again  Lord  of  Blarney." 

A  very  remarkable  cromlech  or  Druid's  altar  of  immense  size  stands 
on  the  banks  of  the  river  Coman,  within  the  pleasure-grounds  of  the  castle, 
and  numerous  single  pillar-stones,  inscribed  with  ancient  Ogham  characters, 
and  other  Druidic  relics,  abound  in  the  neighborhood.  These  monolith 
pillars,  so  commonly  met  with  in  Ireland,  are  now  generally  admitted  to 
be  of  Pagan  origin,  and  as  they  are  frequently  to  be  found  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  those  circles  of  stone  which  are  supposed  to  have  been 
consecrated  to  the  purposes  of  sun-worship,  there  is  every  reason  to  conclude 
that  they  were  in  some  way  connected  with  the  religious  mysteries  of  the 
primeval  inhabitants  of  Ireland.  The  precise  nature,  however,  of  that  religion 
still  remains  buried  in  obscurity,  in  order,  it  might  seem,  to  give  to  the 


20 


THE  CITY  OF  CORK   TO  BAN  TRY  BAY. 


antiquarians  a  debateable  ground  on  which  to  create  many  fanciful  theories. 
The  resemblance  of  the  single  stone  pillar  to  the  Round  Towers  of 
Ireland,  appears  to  favor  the  hypothesis  of  their  affinity,  in  being  both 
intended  to  represent  visible  images  of  the  Deity  ;  and  should  a  perfect 
elucidation  of  the  early  system  of  religion  in  Ireland  be  ever  obtained 
there  is  little  doubt  that  it  will  afford  a  key  to  the  origin  and  intention 
of  the  cromlechs,  stone  circles,  pillars,  temples,  rocking-stones,  and  other 
gigantic  but  apparently  objectless  works,  usually  termed  Druidical,  so 
abundantly  scattered  over  the  country.  Besides  those  massive  stone 
pillars,  which  it  is  imagined  were  devoted  to  the  ceremonies  of  religion, 
there  are  others  which  seem  to  have  been  merely  sepulchral  monuments  ; 
but  these  latter  are  distinguished  by  being  wrought  by  man's  art  into  a 
conical  summit,  whereas  the  former  are  wholly  unwrought.  Urns,  containing 
human  bones,  ashes,  and  other  funeral  remains,  are  found  at  the  base  of 
the  monumental  pillars,  and  sometimes  within  the  circles  of  upright  stones. 
Dr.  Ledwich  quotes  a  law  of  Odin,  which  directed  "  great  stones  to  be 
erected  on  and  round  the  sepulchre  of  the  deceased  ;  and  the  rule  was, 
that  a  single  circle  round  the  base  of  the  barrow  indicated  it  to  be  the 
tomb  of  some  chieftain  or  general,  and  there  sacrifices  were  performed  in 
memory  of  the  deceased."  But  it  is  apparent  that  these  sepulchral  stones 
were  of  a  totally  distinct  character  from  those  erected  for  the  celebration 
of  religious  rites,  and  also  from  those  circles  and  stones  which  it  is  believed 
were  used  for  purposes  of  inauguration  and  judicature. 

The  route  from  the  city  of  Cork  to  Bantry,  which  lies  at  the  head  of 
the  bay  of  the  same  name,  is  along  the  Cork  and  Bandon  and  West  Cork 
railways,  thirty-seven  miles  to  Dunmanway,  and  thence  for  twenty  miles 
further  by  post  road.  Thirteen  miles  from  Cork,  a  branch  of  the  railway 
strikes  off  on  the  left  to  Kinsale,  a  small  town  situated  on  an  arm  of 
the  sea,  forming  a  safe  and  commodious  harbor,  and  one  of  the  chief  fishing 
stations  in  the  south  of  Ireland.  It  is  a  place  of  some  antiquity  and  historical 
importance,  for  Sir  John  de  Courcy  erected  a  castle  on  the  Old  Head  of 
Kinsale  in  the  twelfth  century;  and  in  1380  the  English  fleet  defeated 
the  combined  naval  forces  of  France  and  Spain  in  the  harbor.  Later 
on  in  1 601,  a  Spanish  force  landed  here,  seized  the  town  on  behalf  of  the 
Roman  Catholics,  and  held  it  for  two  months,  when  it  was  recaptured  by 
the  English.    In  the  spring  of  1689,  Kinsale  was  garrisoned  by  the  French 


BAN  DON  AND   ITS  FOUNDATION. 


31 


and  Irish  forces  of  James  II.,  who  held  it  until  the  end  of  the  following 
year,  when  it  surrendered  to  General  Churchill,  afterwards  the  Duke  of 
Marlborough.  It  is  a  pleasant  excursion  from  the  town  to  the  Old  Head 
of  Kinsale,  a  promontory  anxiously  looked  for  by  the  voyager  from  America, 
who  sights  it  before  any  other  British  land. 

The  country  between  Cork  and  Bantry  Bay  is  agreeably  furnished  by 
the  hand  of  nature,  and  adorned  with  several  rich  demesnes  and  handsome 
villas,  but  the  road  presents  no  feature  of  remarkable  interest  for  twenty 
miles,  at  the  end  of  which  we  reach  Bandon.  This  is  a  large,  well-built, 
and  thriving  town,  situated  on  a  river  of  the  same  name,  a  gently  winding 
stream,  which  Spenser  describes  as 

'*  The  pleasant  Bandon,  crowned  with  many  a  wood." 

After  passing  the  town  the  river  increases  in  magnitude,  and  is  navigable 
within  four  miles  for  vessels  of  light  draught.  The  place  owes  its  origin 
and  prosperity  to  the  enterprising  spirit  of  that  extraordinary  man  Richard 
Boyle,  afterwards  the  first  Earl  of  Cork.  The  site  upon  which  the  town 
stands  formed  part  of  the  extensive  fortified  estates  of  O'Mahony,  a  chieftain 
who  had  engraved  in  the  rebellion  of  the  Earl  of  Desmond.  The  greater 
portion  of  the  demesne  was  purchased  in  1602  by  the  then  Mr.  Boyle, 
whose  foresight  and  sagacity  enabled  him  to  discover  the  natural  advantages 
of  the  spot,  on  which,  in  the  year  1608,  he  commenced  building  the  present 
town  of  Bandon.  It  was  originally  surrounded  by  fortified  walls;  but  in 
consequence  of  the  inhabitants  rising  upon  and  disarming  a  garrison  which 
was  placed  over  them  in  the  interest  of  James  II.,  the  town  was  heavily 
fined,  and  the  party  then  in  power  caused  the  walls  to  be  levelled  to  the 
ground,  since  which  time  they  have  not  been  rebuilt.  Under  the  influence 
of  the  enterprising  and  active  spirit  of  the  Earl  of  Cork,  Bandon  soon 
became  a  place  of  some  importance.  He  commenced  reclaiming  the  large 
tracts  of  bog  and  moorland  which  lay  in  the  immediate  vicinity,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  planting  a  race  of  industrious  tenantry  in  a  district  that,  before 
it  came  into  his  possession,  wore  an  aspect  of  rude  and  cheerless  desolation. 
Much,  however,  as  one  must  admire  the  energy  and  perseverance  of  this 
great  man,  the  cruel  rigor  with  which  he  persecuted  all  those  opposed 
to  him  in  warfare  or  religion  will  always  darken  the  page  upon  which  his 
history  is  written. 


22 


THE  CITY  OF  CORK   TO  BAN  TRY  BAY, 


An  anecdote  is  related  of  Swift,  that  when  entering  Bandon,  the  Dean, 
being  a  little  in  advance  of  his  servant,  wrote  on  the  gate  of  the  town 
the  following  lines  : — 

"Jew,  Turk,  or  Atheist 

May  enter  here, 
But  not  a  Papist." 

The  servant,  on  arriving  at  the  spot,  read  the  inscription,  and  concluding 
it  was  his  master's  work,  appended  this  rejoinder  : — 

"  Whoever  wrote  this,  wrote  it  well ; 
The  same  is  on  the  gates  of  hell." 

Proceeding  westward,  the  railway  follows  the  course  of  the  river  Bandon. 
The  stream  receives  the  Blackwater  about  a  dozen  miles  from  the  town  ; 
and  within  the  vicinity  of  the  confluence,  the  scenery  is  enlivened  by  the 
appearance  of  many  pleasant  country  seats,  among  them  being  Kilcaskan, 
Laurel  Hill,  Carrigmore,  Manch  House,  and  Fort  Robert  formerly  the 
residence  of  the  late  Feargus  O'Connor  of  Chartist  renown.  Dunmanway, 
a  few  miles  further  westward,  is  a  small  town  of  little  note  lying  embosomed 
amidst  hills  of  rugged  and  sterile  aspect ;  offering  few  objects  to  attract 
the  traveler's  attention.  It  is  here  that  the  railway  terminates,  and  the 
tourist  who  wishes  to  proceed  further,  must  transport  himself  to  the  stage- 
coach or  the  jaunting  car.  A  short  distance  beyond  the  town,  the  road 
enters  a  dark  and  lofty  defile,  which  winds  for  nearly  a  mile  through  rugged 
but  picturesque  mountains,  that  occasionally  exhibit  vestiges  of  the  natural 
woods  with  which  they  were  formerly  covered.  There  are  two  routes  from 
Dunmanway  to  Bantry,  and  it  is  hard  to  say  which  is  the  most  hilly  and 
dreary.  The  longer  makes  a  detour  to  the  south,  and  sends  a  branch  to 
the  town  of  Skibbereen,  the  name  of  which  is  sadly  associated  with  distress, 
owing  to  the  locality  having  suffered  severely  in  the  famine  year  of  1847. 
The  shorter  road  is  a  little  over  a  score  of  miles  in  length ;  before  it  is  half 
traversed  the  scenery  assumes  a  savage,  stern,  and  moorland  aspect  and 
that  feature  characterizes  the  remainder  of  the  way. 

Bantry  Bay  has  so  often  formed  the  subject  of  the  tourist's  pen, 
that  little  has  been  left  to  describe.  The  Scene  from  Sugar  Loaf  Mountain 
presents  to  the  eye  an  expanse  of  land  and  water,  a  panorama  of 
bold  and  magnificent  scenery,  not  perhaps  to  be  equalled  in  the  world. 
Overwhelmed  by  the    novelty  and    immensity  of  the    objects   by  which 


THE   TOWN  AND  BAY  OF  BAN  TRY. 


23 


the  stranger  finds  himself  surrounded,  his  eye  wanders  from  point  to 
point  of  the  vast  picture  with  a  painfully  pleasurable  distraction ;  now 
resting  upon  the  placid  surface  of  that  island-studded  bay,  within  whose 
capacious  bosom  the  navies  of  England  might  ride  in  safety ;  now  vainly 
straining  to  reach  the  dimly  defined  horizon  of  the  more  distant 

"  World  of  waters  wide  and  deep  ;" 

now  wandering  along  the  graceful  and  picturesque  shores  of  the  bay,  or 
following  the  bold  outlines  of  the  hills  and  mountain-ranges,  that  sweep 
almost  around  this  noble  haven. 

Among  the  mountain  heights  that  fret  the  northern  shore,  Hungry 
Hill  *  is  the  loftiest  of  his  giant  brethren,  and  towers  in  stupendous 
grandeur  over  the  bay.  On  its  west,  Berehaven  erects  its  head,  while 
on  its  east,  Sugar  Loaf  and  the  Glengariff  Mountains  stand  sentry  o'er  the 
little  town ;  and  some  miles  to  the  north  of  these  latter,  Priest's  Leap, 
the  Reeks,  and  Mangerton,  present  their  huge  proportions  to  the  spectator. 
The  town  of  Bantry  is  little  better  than  a  fishing-village ;  it  possesses  no 
trade,  and  the  remoteness  of  its  situation  affords  little  hope  that  it 
ever  will  have  any.  In  an  historical  point  of  view,  it  is  remarkable 
as  being  the  place  at  which  the  French  twice  endeavored  to  invade 
the  country.  The  first  attempt  was  made  in  1689,  when  they  were 
prevented  from  executing  their  designs  by  Admiral  Herbert,  though  they 
would  seem  to  have  had  the  best  of  the  naval  engagement  which  ensued. 
The  second  occurred  in  December,  1796,  when  one  of  the  finest  appointed 
armies  that  ever  sailed  from  the  shores  of  France  attempted  a  landing, 
A  fleet  of  seventeen  sail,  ten  being  ships  of  the  line,  anchored  in  Bantry 
Bay.  It,  however,  originally  consisted  of  twenty-five  ships  of  the  line,  but 
had  been  reduced  in  number  by  violent  storms,  and  when  the  remnant 
of  this  proud  armament  reached  the  Irish  coast,  the  dissension  and 
jealousy  which  existed  amongst  the  leaders  of  the  expedition  prevented 
them  taking  advantage  of  the  opportunity  that  offered,  of  landing  the 
troops  without  opposition.  Humanly  speaking,  had  they  landed,  nothing 
could  have  opposed  them :  the  city  of  Cork  would  in  three  days  have 
been  in  their  hands,  and  Ireland  would  have  been  lost  to  England,  for 
a  time  at  least.     But  Providence  decreed  otherwise.     On  Christmas-eve 

*  Hungry  Hillhzs.  acquired  some  notoriety  as  being  the  place  where  Mr.  Crofton  Croker  laid  the  scene  of  Daniel 
O'Rourke's  Adventures  in  his  flight  to  the  Moon. 


24 


THE    CITY  OF  CORK   TO  BAN  TRY  BAY. 


1796,  a  tremendous  hurricane  came  on,  by  which  the  French  fleet  was 
driven  out  to  sea,  and  the  kingdom  saved  from  the  horrors  of  an 
invading  warfare.  Adjoining  the  town  is  Bantry  House  the  seat  of  the 
Earl  of  Bantry ;  and  opposite  is  Whiddy  Island  defended  by  three 
redoubts  and  containing  the  ruins  of  a  fortress  of  the  O'Sullivans. 

Glengariff  attracts  almost  as  many  pilgrims  as  the  Giant's  Causeway. 
It  can  be  reached  by  water  from  Bantry,  a  route  which  exhibits  to  great 
advantage  the  peculiarly  wild  scenery  of  the  bay  ;  but  an  approach  that 
affords  bolder  varieties  of  landscape,  is  along  the  coach  road  to  Kenmare 
and  Killarney,  the  distance  being  about  ten  miles.  Glengariff,  as  its  name 
signifies,  is  a  rough  and  craggy  glen  about  three  miles  in  length,  shut  in 
by  magnificent  mountains.  Its  breadth  seldom  exceeds  a  quarter  of  a 
mile.  The  sides  of  the  precipitous  rocks  which  enclose  it  are  clothed  with 
yew,  holly,  arbutus,  and  a  variety  of  other  trees  and  plants,  that  flourish 
here  in  the  luxuriant  abundance  of  a  southern  climate.  Through  this 
alpine  valley  a  lonely  mountain-stream,  forcing  its  way  over  every  impedi- 
ment that  presents  itself,  rolls  seaward,  murmuring,  as  it  goes,  its  troubled 
song  to  the  woods  and  rocks,  that  answer  in  hoarse  echoes  the  wild  music 
of  the  torrent.  The  beauties  of  Glengariff  are  not  to  be  viewed  in  a  day, 
nor  appreciated  in  a  morning's  walk  :  to  be  properly  felt,  they  must  be 
examined  leisurely,  and  in  all  their  various  lights  and  distances.  An 
eloquent  writer  on  the  scenery  of  this  fairy  vale,  says  :  "  It  is  by  treading 
its  tangled  pathways,  and  wandering  amid  its  secret  dells,  that  the  charms 
of  Glengariff  become  revealed  in  all  their  power.  There  the  most  fanciful 
and  picturesque  views  spread  on  every  side.  A  twilight  grove,  terminating 
in  a  soft  vale,  whose  vivid  green  appears  as  if  it  had  never  been  violated 
by  mortal  foot — a  bower,  rich  in  fragrant  woodbine,  intermingled  with  a 
variety  of  clasping  evergreens,  drooping  over  a  miniature  lake  of  transparent 
brightness  —  a  lonely  wild  suddenly  bursting  on  the  sight,  girded  on  all 
sides  by  grim  and  naked  mountains — a  variety  of  natural  avenues  leading 
through  the  embowering  wood  to  retreats,  in  whose  breathless  solitude  the 
very  genius  of  meditation  would  appear  to  reside,  or  to  golden  glades 
sonorous  with  the  songs  of  an  hundred  foaming  rills." 

There  is  a  pretty  legend  that  pertains  to  one  of  its  craggy  heights  for 
which  we  must  find  space  upon  our  page.  The  Prince  of  Bantry  being 
conquered  by  the  English  soldiers,  took  to  flight,  leaving  his  Princess  and 


GLENGARIFF  AND  ITS  SCENERY. 


35 


children  to  the  care  of  a  faithful  follower.  But  the  country  was  so  overrun 
by  the  conquerors,  who  drove  away  the  flocks,  ransacked  the  houses, 
and  destroyed  the  crops,  that  he  knew  not  where  to  find  a  meal  or  a 
resting  place  for  the  unhappy  family.  He  made,  however,  by  the  side  of 
the  mountain  a  sort  of  shed,  which  he  so  artfully  composed  of  sods  and 
stones,  that  no  one  could  tell  but  that  it  was  a  part  of  the  hill  itself. 
And,  then,  having  speared  a  salmon,  he  fed  his  noble  charge  for  the  first 
day,  trusting  to  heaven  for  a  meal  when  the  salmon  should  be  finished. 
But  the  Princess  O'Donovan  and  her  children  soon  came  to  an  end  of 
the  fish  and  clamored  for  more.  So  the  faithful  servitor,  taking  with  him 
a  rope  and  his  little  son  Shamus,  mounted  up  to  the  peak  where  the 
eagles  rested  ;  and,  from  the  spot  to  which  he  climbed  saw  their  nest  with 
the  young  eaglets  in  it,  in  a  cleft  below  the  precipice  ;  and  then,  giving  some 
thongs  to  his  son,  he  told  him  that  he  would  let  him  down  by  the  rope 
to  the  eyry,  when  he  must  tie  the  thongs  round  the  necks  of  the  eaglets, 
so  as  not  to  choke  them,  but  merely  so  as  to  prevent  them  from 
swallowing  much.  Then  Shamus  did  as  his  father  bade  him,  and  was 
drawn  up  again.  Presently  the  eagles  came  home,  one  bringing  a  rabbit 
and  the  other  a  grouse,  which  they  dropped  into  the  nest  for  the  young 
ones  ;  and  soon  after  flew  away  in  search  of  other  provisions.  And  now 
Shamus  was  once  more  lowered  to  the  eagle's  nest,  where  he  gutted  the 
grouse  and  rabbit,  left  the  entrails  to  the  eaglets,  and  brought  away  the 
rest.  And  so  the  Princess  and  her  little  ones  had  game  that  night  for 
their  supper.  The  fanciful  historian  does  not  chronicle  how  long  they  lived 
in  this  way,  nor  does  the  legend  tell  us  what  became  of  the  Princess  and 
her  offspring.  We  are  therefore  compelled  to  draw  upon  our  imagination 
for  the  completion  of  the  story,  and  we  think  we  cannot  terminate  it  in  a 
more  satisfactory  manner  than  by  restoring  the  Prince  of  Bantry  to  his 
Princess,  his  progeny,  and  his  estates,  and  in  the  bestowal  of  the  hand  of 
one  of  his  fair  daughters  upon  the  fearless  Shamus,  the  gallant  young 
eagle  robber. 

The  wildness  of  the  glen-scenery  is  happily  and  effectively  contrasted 
with  the  cultivation  and  art  displayed  in  the  beautiful  grounds  of  Glen- 
gariff  Castle,  which  is  the  point  generally  chosen  by  artists  from  which  to 
make  their  sketches  of  the  mountain  valley.  The  most  extensive  view  of 
the  glen  is  to  be  obtained  from  the  steep,  on  the  old  Berehaven  road, 


26 


THE  CITY  OF  CORK  TO  BAN  TRY  BAY. 


near  Cromwell's  Bridge,  a  ruinous  old  structure  built  by  the  Protector,  from 
whence  the  spectator  beholds  the  dark  woods,  hills,  and  rushing  streams  of 
Glengariff,  the  lofty  mountains  of  Berehaven,  the  bold  shores  of  Bantry  Bay, 
and,  afar  off,  the  line  of  ocean,  bounding  all  with  its  dark  blue  cincture.  Says 
Sir  Aubrey  de  Vere  : — 

"  Gazing  from  each  low  bulwark  of  this  bridge, 

How  wonderful  the  contrast !  Dark  as  night, 

Here,  amid  cliffs  and  woods,  with  headlong  might, 

The  black  stream  whirls,  through  ferns  and  drooping  sedge, 

'Neath  twisted  roots  moss-brown,  and  weedy  ledge, 

Gushing.    Aloft,  from  yonder  birch  clad  height, 

Leaps  into  air  a  cataract,  snow  white  ; 

Falling  to  gulfs  obscure.    The  mountain  ridge, 

Like  a  gray  warder,  guardian  of  the  scene, 

Above  the  cloven  gorge  gloomily  towers. 

O'er  the  dim  woods  a  gathering  tempest  lours  ; 

Save  where  athwart  the  moist  leaves'  lucid  green 

A  sun-beam,  glancing  through  disparted  showers, 

Sparkles  along  the  rill  with  diamond  sheen  !" 

The  rugged  aspect  of  this  remarkable  region  is  depicted  in  vivid  colors 
by  the  Rev.  Caesar  Otway,  who  found  that  "  every  hill  had  its  peculiar 
interest  ;  and  each,  according  to  the  time  of  the  day  or  the  state  of 
the  atmosphere,  presented  a  picture  so  suitable — or  bright,  or  gloomy,  or 
near,  or  distant— valleys  laughing  in  sunshine,  or  shrouded  in  dark  and 
undefined  masses  of  shade  ;  and  so  deceptive,  so  variable  were  the  distances 
and  capabilities  of  prospect,  that  in  the  morning  you  could  see  a  hare 
bounding  along  on  the  ranges  of  those  hills,  that  at  noon-day  were  lost  in 
the  grey  indistinctness  of  distant  vision.  Then  the  glen  itself,  unlike  other 
glens  and  valleys  that  interpose  between  ranges  of  mountains,  was  not  flat 
or  soft,  or  smooth — no  meadow,  no  morass,  no  bog — but  the  most  appar- 
ently tumultuous,  yet  actually  regular  congeries  of  rocks  that  ever  was 
seen.  Suppose  you  the  Bay  of  Biscay  in  a  hurricane  from  the  west ; 
suppose  you  the  tremendous  swell,  when  the  top-gallant  mast  of  a  ship 
would  be  hid  within  the  trough  of  its  waves  ;  and  now  suppose  that  by 
some  Almighty  fiat,  all  this  vexed  ocean  was  arrested  in  an  instant,  and 
there  fixed  as  a  specimen  of  God's  wonders  in  the  deep.  Such  you  may 
suppose  Glengariff.  It  appears  as  if  the  stratifications  of  the  rock  were 
forced  up  by  some  uniform  power  from  the  central  abyss,  and  there  left  to 
stand  at  a  certain  and  defined  angle,  a  solidified  storm.     And  now  sup- 


GLENGARIFF  INN  AND  HARBOR. 


27 


pose  that  in  every  indenture,  hole,  crevice,  and  inflexion  of  these  rocks 
grew  a  yew  or  holly ;  there  the  yew,  with  its  yellower  tinge,  and  here 
the  arbutus  with  its  red  stem  and  leaf  of  brighter  green,  and  its  rough, 
wild,  uncontrolled  growth,  adorning,  and  at  the  same  time  disclosing  the 
romantic  singularity  of  the  scene.  I  know  not  that  ever  I  read  of  such 
a  place,  so  wild  and  so  beautiful." 

The  wayfarer,  who  on  making  the  tour  of  the  Emerald  Isle,  gives  this 
romantic  spot  a  passing  glance,  has  now  two  hostelries  at  which  to  take 
his  ease.  Of  these  The  Inn  that  bears  the  sign,  "The  Bantry  Arms,"  pos- 
sesses, among  its  other  merits,  that  of  a  certain  degree  of  antiquity.  The 
genial  Thackeray  made  it  his  halting  place  in  1842,  while  collecting  liter- 
ary and  artistic  materials  for  his  "  Irish  Sketch  Book,"  a  work  which  was 
the  precursor  of  "Vanity  Fair,"  by  some  half-dozen  years.  He  speaks  of 
it  as  a  pretty  house  with  some  thorn  trees  standing  before  it,  and,  stretch- 
ing out  beyond,  a  beautiful  bay  with  mountains  rising  on  either  side,  and 
in  its  midst  an  island,  on  which  there  stood  a  castle.  "What,"  says  he, 
"sends  picturesque  tourists  to  the  Rhine  and  Saxon  Switzerland?  Within 
five  miles  round  the  pretty  inn  of  Glengariff  there  is  a  country,  of  the 
magnificence  of  which  no  pen  can  give  an  idea.  I  would  like  to  be  a 
great  prince,  and  bring  a  train  of  painters  over  to  make,  if  they  could, 
and  according  to  their  several  capabilities,  a  set  of  pictures  of  the  place." 

The  harbor  of  Glengariff  is  an  indenture,  with  a  singularly  jagged 
coast-line,  from  the  north-east  head  of  Bantry  Bay ;  and  presents  to  the 
eye  a  charming  picture,  set  in  a  framework  of  mountains,  and  having  a 
foreground  of  woods  which  encompass  the  eastern  portion  of  the  harbor, 
and  the  course  of  the  Glengariff.  "  Were  such  a  bay  lying  upon  English 
shores,"  says  the  writer  last  quoted,  "it  would  be  a  world's  wonder.  Per- 
haps, if  it  were  on  the  Mediterranean  or  the  Baltic,  English  travelers 
woul  flock  to  it  by  hundreds.  Why  not  come  and  see  it  in  Ireland  ? 
The  best  view  of  this  exquisite  scene — the  charm  of  a  soft  climate  en- 
hancing every  other — is  obtained  from  the  height  of  the  hilly  road  leading 
to  Killarney,  and  at  the  foot  of  which  is  a  pretty  cottage,  preferred  as  a 
residence  for  many  years  by  Lord  Bantry  to  the  stately  mansion  at  Ban- 
try.  This  cottage  is  placed  on  an  island  formed  by  a  mountain  stream, 
the  approach  to  which  is  by  a  bridge  made  from  the  main-mast  of  a 
French  ship  of  the  line,  one  of  the  invading  fleet  of  1796." 


28 


THE  LAKES  OF  KILLARNE  Y. 


CHAPTER  II. 


THE  LAKES  OF  KILLARNEY. 


Road  from  Glengariff — Kenmare — Town  of  Killarney — Ross  Island  and  Castle — 0 'Donoghue 's 
Prison — Romantic  Tradition  respecting  the  Chief — Innisfallen,  its  Ruins,  and  its  Annals — 
Abbey  of  Muckross — Tore  Cascade — Middle  and  Lower  Lakes — Derrycunihy  Cascade — Taking 
a  Stag — Panoramic  view  of  the  Lakes — Ronay  tie's  Island — Old  Weir  Bridge — Meeting  of 
the  Waters — Glena  Cottage — View  from  Innisfallen — O' Sullivan's  Cascade — Muckross  revisited 
— Legend  of  the  Yew  Tree — General  Remarks  on  the  Scenery — The  Upper  Lake — Colman's 
Leap — Eagle's  Nest — Cave  and  Gap  of  Dunloe — Carran-Tuel — Mangerton — Devil's  Punch 
Boivl — The  Beggar  Nuisance. 

TV'ILLARNEY,  the  Mecca  of  every  pilgrim  in  search  of  the  sublime  and 


J-V  beautiful  in  nature,  the  mountain  Paradise  of  Ireland,  will  form 
the  subject  of  the  present  chapter. 

The  road  from  Glengariff  to  Killarney  lies  through  a  mountain  district, 
which  once  belonged  to  the  O'Sullivans  and  McCarthys,  in  whose  deep 
solitudes  may  be  found  scenes  of  romantic  beauty — stupendous  cliffs,  lofty 
mountains,  thrown  by  the  hand  of  nature  into  the  most  picturesque 
disorder,  the  rushing  torrent,  the  placid  lake,  the  broad  sea,  and  the  rocky 
shores,  all  combine  to  form  a  succession  of  glowing  and  magnificent 
pictures,  whose  effect  upon  the  spectator  exceeds  the  power  of  description. 
After  journeying  for  a  score  of  miles,  or  about  half-way,  we  reached  the 
town  of  Kenmare,  passing  thither  along  a  road-way,  constructed  many  years 
ago  by  the  celebrated  Scotch  engineer,  Nimmo,  which  ascends  the  slope 
of  Caha  Mountains,  affording  fine  views  of  the  picturesque  valleys  beneath, 
and  piercing  the  summit  of  the  ridge  by  a  tunnel  six  hundred  feet  in 
length,  at  the  end  of  which  we  entered  the  county  of  Kerry,  and  obtained 
a  view  of  the  Reeks,  raising  their  lofty  heads  on  the  west  of  the  Killarney 
lakes.     Kenmare  is  a  small  and  neat  town,  situated  at  the  head  of  a 


THE  APPROACH   TO  KILLARNEY. 


20 


delightful  bay,  and  is  approached  by  a  fine  suspension  bridge.  It  is  of 
comparatively  modern  origin,  having  been  founded  in  1670,  by  Sir  Wil- 
liam Petty,  the  ancestor  of  the  Lansdowne  family,  the  head  of  which  is 
its  present  possessor.  "  Scarcely  any  village  built  by  an  enterprising  band 
of  New  Englanders  far  from  the  dwellings  of  their  countrymen,"  writes 
Macaulay  of  its  origin,  "was  more  completely  out  of  the  pale  of  civiliza- 
tion than  Kenmare.  Between  Petty's  settlement  and  the  nearest  English 
habitation,  the  journey  by  land  was  of  two  days,  through  a  wild  and 
dangerous  country."  The  colony  being  Protestant  suffered  a  reverse  in 
1688  when  it  was  compelled  to  capitulate  to  a  besieging  Roman  Catholic 
force  and  embark  for  Bristol.  The  convent  of  St.  Clare,  here  situated, 
has  in  late  years  been  brought  into  notice  through  the  publications  of  the 
"Nun  of  Kenmare."  Miss  M.  F.  Cusack,  a  convert  from  Protestantism, 
who  has  adopted  the  name  of  Sister  Mary  Frances  Clare. 

Between  Kenmare  and  Killarney  the  savage  aspect  of  the  country  be- 
gins to  mellow  into  the  softer  traits  of  the  lake  scenery ;  the  hills  are 
partially  wooded,  and  the  crags,  which  overhang  the  road,  are  tufted  with 
rich  verdure.  Shortly  after  passing  the  Mulgrave  Police  Barracks  we 
reached  a  tunnel  which  forms  a  part  of  the  road,  close  to  which  the  traveler 
obtains  the  first  sight  of  the  Upper  Lake,  spread  before  him  in  its  calm 
beauty  like  a  broad  mirror  set  in  the  bosom  of  the  majestic  mountains. 
We  did  not,  however,  loiter  to  dwell  upon  the  scenery,  but  hurried  on  to 
the  town  of  Killarney,  to  make  it  our  headquarters,  provide  ourselves 
with  a  guide,  and  undertake  the  popular  tour  of  the  lakes  in  the  ortho- 
dox manner.  Still,  as  we  passed  along,  the  eyes  filled  with  magnificent 
views  of  the  famous  lakes  and  the  vast  blue  mountains  which  encircle  them. 
Tore,  Tomies,  and  Mangerton  stood  before  us  clothed  in  purple,  with 
great  heavy  clouds  gathered  round  their  heads,  parting  away  every  now 
and  then,  and  leaving  their  noble  features  bare.  On  our  left,  the  lake  lay 
for  some  time  beneath  us,  while  on  our  right,  we  had  a  precipice  covered 
with  a  thousand  trees,  or  a  green  rocky  flat,  with  mountains  rising  beyond 
as  far  as  the  eye  could  stretch.  We  skirted  the  foot  of  dark  old  Manger- 
ton, presently  passed  Muckross,  and  then  through  avenues  of  trees  and 
by  numerous  lodges  and  gentlemen's  seats,  where  we  saw  the  mountains 
again  and  the  lower  lake,  and  then  came  upon  the  mansion  and  grounds  of 
Lord  Kenmare,  which  told  us  that  we  were  at  the  threshold  of  the  town. 


30 


THE  LAKES  OF  KILLARNEY. 


Killarney — in  the  Irish  language  Kill-airne,  or  the  church  of  the  sloe- 
trees — is  a  small,  regularly-built  town,  more  than  a  mile  distant  from  the 
shores  of  Lough  Leane  or  the  lower  lake,  which  derives  its  principal  sup- 
port from  the  strangers  who  come  to  visit  the  lakes  and  the  surrounding 
scenery.  Its  only  architectural  feature  of  importance  is  the  Roman  Ca- 
tholic Cathedral  on  the  north,  an  elaborate  Gothic  building,  but  recently 
completed,  from  designs  by  Pugin,  celebrated  for  his  imitations  of 
mediaeval  art,  and  having  some  beautiful  interior  decorations  by  McCarthy 
It  is  a  fortunate  thing  for  sojourners  here,  that  they  are  now  enabled  to 
choose  between  several  excellent  hotels  for  their  place  of  temporary 
abode.  First  among  these  stands  the  Railway,  adjoining  the  station  and 
in  pleasant  ornamental  grounds  of  its  own,  but  a  mile  and  a  half  from 
the  margin  of  the  lake ;  then  there  is  the  Royal  Victoria  Hotel,  finely 
situated  in  its  own  grounds  sloping  down  to  the  north  shore  of  the  lower 
lake ;  and  there  are  other  good  hotels  on  the  eastern  shore,  and  at 
Muckross. 

The  first  place  to  which  strangers  at  Killarney  generally  resort  is  Ross 
Island,  which  forms  the  southern  part  of  the  demesne  of  Lord  Kenmare, 
whose  grounds  extend  northwardly  to  the  outskirts  of  the  town  and  af- 
ford most  enchanting  views.  Though  popularly  acknowledged  as  the 
largest  island  in  the  lower  lake,  this  plot  of  158  acres  is  little  more  than 
a  peninsula,  connected  with  the  main-land  by  a  causeway,  which,  being 
flooded  in  winter,  gives  the  place  an  insular  character.  On  its  southern 
point  is  an  abandoned  copper  mine,  presumed  to  have  been  originally 
worked  by  the  Danes,  and  which  was  re-opened  in  1804  by  Colonel  Hall, 
father  of  S.  C.  Hall,  of  literary  renown  ;  and  operated  profitably  for  four 
years  when,  owing  to  the  miners  working  too  near  the  water,  the  mine 
became  flooded  beyond  reclamation.  The  main  feature  of  the  island,  how- 
ever, is  Ross  Castle,  a  fortress  of  about  the  fifteenth  century  and  said  to 
have  been  formerly  the  residence  of  O'Donoghue  the  Prince  of  the  Lakes. 
It  consists  of  an  ivy-mantled  keep,  surrounded  by  outworks,  and  flanked 
by  small  circular  towers  at  the  angles.  Exquisite  lake  views  are  obtained 
from  the  interior  apartments,  and  in  fact,  it  is  to  its  situation  as  a  point 
of  observance  that  it  owes  its  principal  celebrity.  The  sun  was  near  set- 
ting when  we  reached  the  ruin,  and  a  soft  and  golden  flood  of  light 
covered  the  bosom  of  the  lake,   and  the  background  of  mountains  and 


J?OSS  ISLAND  AND  CASTLE. 


31 


islands,  with  a  glory  inexpressibly  beautiful.  The  side  of  the  castle  towards 
us  lay  in  deep  shade,  and  its  one  square  and  tall  tower  cut  the  glowing 
sky  with  an  effect  which  made  us  long  for  the  possession  of  artistic 
talents.  The  scene  altogether,  for  softness  of  atmosphere,  richness  of 
light,  singular  beauty  of  outline,  and  combination  of  island,  mountain,  and 
water,  seemed  quite  incomparable.  We  ascended  the  top  of  the  ruin,  and 
sat  watching  the  fading  light  on  the  lake  till  the  color  was  dissolved  in 
twilight :  it  was  a  rare  moment  of  natural  beautv,  sufficient  of  itself,  with- 
out  legendary  or  other  interest. 

Next  morning  we  returned  to  this  spot,  for  it  is  the  usual  place  of 
embarkation  for  persons  desirous  of  visiting  the  Lower  Lake.  The  castle 
is  built  on  a  limestone  rock,  and  must  at  one  time  have  been  a  place  of 
considerable  strength.  In  the  Great  Rebellion,  it  «was  garrisoned  by  the 
Irish,  and,  in  1652,  resisted  for  some  time  the  attacks  of  Ludlow,  one  of 
Cromwell's  generals.  But  the  Parliamentary  commander,  having  launched 
a  number  of  boats  on  the  lake,  attacked  the  castle  by  land  and  water, 
and  forced  the  besieged  to  capitulate,  the  fortress  being  the  last  to  sur- 
render in  Munster.  Ware  records  the  event  in  his  Chronological  Table 
in  the  following  words  :  "  Ross,  in  the  countv  of  Kern",  a  castle  in  an  is- 
land,  is  yielded  up  to  Ludlow,  after  he  had  caused  a  small  ship  to  be 
carried  over  the  mountains  and  set  afloat  on  the  lough,  which  terrified 
the  ejiemy."  An  old  prophecy  had  declared  Ross  impregnable  until  ships 
should  surround  it ;  and  the  Irish  soldiers,  looking  upon  the  prophecy  as 
accomplished,  refused  to  strike  a  blow. 

From  Ross  Island  we  took  boat  to  Innisfallen  Island,  and  on  the  way 
were  shown  a  small  islet  of  rock,  with  one  side  nearly  twenty  feet  per- 
pendicular above  the  water,  called  O'Donoghue's  Prison.  Here  the  famous 
old  prince,  immortalized  in  song  and  legend,  is  said  to  have  confined  a 
disobedient  son  and  some  of  his  rebellious  associates.  In  what  age  this 
great  dynast  of  the  lakes  flourished  cannot  be  easily  determined ;  but  that 
a  distinguished  hero  of  the  name  once  did  reign  over  this  favored  region 
it  would  be  heresy  to  dispute.  According  to  tradition,  he  was  a  powerful 
and  beneficent  monarch  ;  his  arm  was  strong  in  the  fight,  and  the  words 
of  wisdom  were  on  his  lips  in  the  council.  But  the  life  of  this  good 
prince  was  doomed  to  terminate,  while  still  in  the  pride  of  his  manhood 
and  the  full  lustre  of  his  renown  and  glory.    There  are  two  traditions,  in 


BOSTON  COfeLgOK  UBUAKI 


3>  THE  LAKES   OF  KILLARNEY. 

which  the  manner  of  his  death  is  differently  related ;  one  asserts,  that, 
while  sitting  surrounded  by  his  subjects  at  a  banquet,  he  bscame  suddenly 
spiritualized,  and  descending,  "as  some  light  vision,"  to  the  neighboring 
lake,  plunged  into  its  crystal  waters  and  vanished  from  their  sight.  It  is 
believed  that  every  May  morning  at  sunrise,  he  quits  the  regions  of  immortal 
bliss,  and  appears  in  person  among  the  descendants  of  his  people.  His  ap- 
pearance is  regarded  as  an  omen  of  prosperity  to  whoever  heholds  him  ;  he 
is  generally  seen  mounted  on  a  gallant  white  steed,  bounding  over  the 
lake  ;  but  he  is  sometimes  beheld  on  the  green  shores,  contending  in  the 
mimic  fight,  or  treading  the  stately  measure  of  the  ancient  Irish  dance. 
Moore's  beautiful  ballad  called  "  O'Donohue's  Mistress,"  is,  as  he  informs 
us,  founded  upon  one  of  the  stories  connected  with  this  legend  of  the 
lakes.  It  portrays  a  young  and  beautiful  girl,  whose  imagination  was  so 
impressed  with  the  idea  of  this  visionary  chief,  that  she  fancied  herself 
enamoured  of  him  : 

"Of  all  the  proud  steeds  that  ever  bore 
Young  plumed  chiefs  on  sea  or  shore, 

White  steed,  most  joy  to  thee  ; 
Who  still,  with  the  first  young  glance  of  spring, 
From  under  that  glorious  lake  dost  bring 

My  love,  my  chief,  to  me." 

And  the  ballad  closes  with  the  vow  of  the  fascinated  fair  one  that : 

"  Of  all  the  sweet  deaths  that  maidens  die, 
Whose  lovers  beneath  the  cold  wave  lie, 

Most  sweet  that  death  will  be 
Which,  under  the  next  May  evening's  light, 
When  thou  and  thy  steed  are  lost  to  sight, 

Dear  love,  I'll  die  for  thee." 

As  we  approached  Innisfallen,  the  woods,  which  at  a  distance  seemed 
impenetrably  dense,  opened  in  glades  and  alleys.  The  trees  here  are  ot 
larger  growth  than  common,  the  ash  and  holly  apparently  thriving  to 
the  best  advantage  ;  the  arbutus  also  flourishes  in  abundance,  and  not 
only  contributes  to  the  beauty  of  the  lakes,  but  to  the  wealth  of  the 
people,  who  manufacture  a  variety  of  pretty  toys  of  its  wood,  and  en- 
deavour to  convince  the  traveler  that  salmon  broiled  over  an  arbutus  fire 
possesses  a  delicious  flavor,  which  cannot  be  imparted  to  the  fish  by  any  other 
mode  of  cooking, — the  consent  to  the  experiment  involving  employment 


INN  I SF ALLEN  AND   ITS  RUINED  ABBEY. 


33 


for  half  a  day,  with  other  et  ceteras,  to  the  well-practiced  boatmen  of 
the  lake.  The  island  is  twenty-one  acres  in  extent,  and  is  situated 
nearly  midway  between  the  east  and  west  shores  of  the  lake.  It  is  con- 
sidered the  gem  of  Killarney,  and  it  is  not  only  interesting  from  its  his- 
torical associations,  but  from  the  charm  thrown  around  it  by  the  poetry 
of  Moore. 

"  Sweet  Innisfallen,  long  shall  dwell 

In  memory's  dream  that  sunny  smile, 
Which  o'er  thee  on  that  evening  fell, 

When  first  I  saw  thy  fairy  isle." 

Innisfallen,  Inis-faithlen,  though  a  mere  ruin  at  present,  was  once  the 
seat  of  an  order  of  monks  distinguished  in  the  ecclesiastical  history  of 
Ireland.  It  was  founded  by  St.  Finihan  Lothar,  the  Leper,  about  the 
commencement  of  the  seventh  century.  The  abbey  church  consisted  of  a 
single  aisle,  seventy  feet  long  and  twenty  wide  ;  and  from  the  narrowness 
of  the  few  windows  which  can  now  be  traced,  it  must,  like  most  of  the 
very  ancient  churches  in  Ireland,  have  been  extremely  dark.  The  archi- 
tecture of  the  cloister  is  exceedingly  rude,  but  though  much  dilapidated, 
the  limits  of  its  covered  walk,  and  the  apertures  opening  into  the  interior 
area,  may  be  still  distinctly  traced.  At  a  short  distance  from  the  principal 
ruins  there  are  three  other  buildings,  which,  it  is  said,  belonged  to  the 
abbey ;  but  the  most  interesting  of  all  the  remains  of  antiquity  at  this 
place  is  a  small  chapel  or  oratory,  covered  with  ivy,  which  stands  on  a 
mass  of  rocks  close  to  the  water.  In  this  abbey  were  composed  the 
celebrated  Annals  of  Innisfallen,  supposed  to  have  been  commenced  some- 
where about  the  eleventh  or  twelfth  centuries.  These  annals,  written  in 
the  Irish  character,  and  in  the  Irish  language,  intermixed  with  Latin, 
contain  a  short  account  of  the  history  of  the  world  in  general  to  the  time 
of  St.  Patrick,  with  very  little  of  Ireland  till  the  year  430,  but  thence- 
forward a  short  history  of  the  country  to  13 18.  A  copy,  written  five  or 
six  hundred  years  ago,  is  preserved  in  the  Bodleian  Library,  at  Oxford. 
The  publication  of  this  work  has  been  attempted  at  various  times,  but 
no  complete  translation  has  yet  been  given  to  the  world. 

From  Innisfallen  we  pulled  over  to  Muckross,  the  charming  demesne 
of  Captain  Herbert,  the  member  for  Kerry,  and  one  of  the  largest  propri- 
etors in  the  south  of  Ireland,  which  stretches  from  the  foot  of  the  Tore 


34 


THE  LAKES  OE  KILL  A  RNE  Y. 


Mountain  along  the  eastern  borders  of  the  Middle  and  Lower  Lakes,  and 
on  which  in  late  years  a  beautiful  Elizabethan  mansion  has  been  erected. 
The  old  abbey  of  Irrelagh  or  Muckross  stands  on  a  slight  eminence,  on 
the  right  of  the  road  leading  to  the  mansion-house,  and,  as  seen  partially 
through  the  trees,  is  an  object  of  the  highest  picturesque  beauty.  A 
well-kept,  good  road,  lying  through  very  highly  cultivated  park  scenery, 
conducts  to  the  abbey,  but  we  deferred  to  the  next  day  the  pleasure  of  a 
leisurely  survey  of  these  beautiful  ruins.  Having  ordered  our  boat  to 
meet  us  at  the  head  of  the  Upper  Lake,  we  took  a  car  and  proceeded 
by  the  road  along  the  shore  to  Torc  Cascade,  a  very  picturesque  fall 
formed  by  the  Devil's  Stream  in  its  descent  from  Mangerton.  The 
waters  are  precipitated  in  a  sheet  of  white  foam  over  a  projection  of  the 
mountain,  from  a  height  of  sixty  or  seventy  feet.  After  breaking  on  the 
rocks  in  mist  and  spray,  the  torrent  resumes  its  impetuous  course  through 
a  deep,  narrow  ravine,  amidst  plantations  of  fir  and  pine  trees,  and  taste- 
fully-arranged pleasure-grounds,  and  soon  mingles  with  the  waters  of  the 
lake.  Precipitous  rocks,  covered  with  luxurious  trees  and  ferns,  rise  on 
either  side.  To  the  left,  a  circuitous  foot-path  leads  to  a  spot  above  the 
cascade,  from  whence  we  obtained  a  very  fine  view  of  the  Middle  and 
Lower  Lakes,  which  our  artist  has  enabled  us  to  present  to  the  reader. 
On  the  left  the  Torc  Mountain  rises  close  at  hand,  and  the  faint  line  of 
the  Dingle  Hills  form  the  distance  to  the  right,  while  below  us  in  the 
centre  of  the  picture  is  presented  the  peculiar  peninsula  of  wooded  rock 
which  separates  the  lakes.  The  walk  conducts  still  higher  to  a  spot 
where  the  cascade  is  far  under  the  observer's  feet,  and  where  the  view  is 
even  finer  than  from  the  lower  station.  The  tourist  should  not  fail  to 
survey  the  prospect  from  this  lofty  eminence,  for  it  is  one  of  the  grandest 
in  Ireland. 

After  pondering  for  a  while  upon  this  view,  we  resumed  our  route 
along  the  smooth  road  by  the  side  of  the  lake,  admiring  the  splendid 
purple  tints  on  the  mountain  sides,  and  the  wonderful  variety  in  the 
shapes  and  groupings  of  the  noble  mountains  around.  As  the  altitude 
increases,  the  views  over  the  upper  lake  in  particular  almost  defy  descrip- 
tion. At  the  base  of  Cromaglan  Mountain  an  additional  effect  is  obtained 
by  the  tunnel  through  which  the  road  is  carried,  and  through  which  we 
had  already  passed   on   our  way  hither  from   Kenmare.    A  mile  beyond 


STAG-HUNT  NEAR  DERRYCUNIHY  CASCADE. 


35 


this,  and  a  little  above  Galway's  bridge,  the  Galway  and  the  Ullauns 
streams  unite,  and  in  their  steep  course  downwards  to  the  lake  form  a 
broken  and  majestic  fall  known  as  the  Derrycunihy  Cascade,  some  thirty 
feet  high.  The  whole  of  the  short  river  may,  in  fact,  be  considered  a  contin- 
uous cascade,  and  the  effect  is  wonderfully  increased  by  the  foliage  that 
so  thickly  borders  it.  The  name  of  the  fall  is  derived  from  a  remarkable 
personage  who  leapt  over  the  stream,  and  is  said  to  have  left  his  foot- 
marks printed  in  a  stone.  It  is  here  worthy  of  mention  that  these  marked 
stones  are  to  be  found  in  all  parts  of  Ireland,  and  have  had  various 
origins  ascribed  to  them.  Spencer  concluded  that  they  were  a  sort  of 
sign  manual  for  the  chiefs,  who,  standing  on  a  stone,  "  received  an  oath 
to  preserve  all  the  ancient  customs  of  the  country  inviolable." 

The  red  deer  still  holds  covert  in  the  woods  and  forests  of  Killarney  ; 
and  the  artist  whose  beautiful  drawings  embellish  this  work  was  fortunate 
enough  to  witness  the  Taking  of  a  Stag,  just  below  the  Derrycunihy 
Cascade.  Of  the  sport,  for  which  Killarney  has  been  famed  in  past  days, 
but  sees  now  only  rarely,  Mr.  Weld  presents  us  with  a  graphic  account. 

"  On  the  day  preceding  the  hunt,  those  preparations  are  made  which 
are  thought  best  calculated  to  ensure  it  a  happy  issue.  An  experienced 
person  is  sent  up  the  mountain  to  search  for  the  herd,  and  watch  its 
motions  in  patient  silence  till  night  comes  on.  The  deer  which  remains 
the  most  aloof  from  its  companions  is  carefully  observed,  and  marked  as 
the  object  of  pursuit,  and  it  is  generally  found  at  the  dawn  of  the  ensuing 
morning  in  the  vicinity  of  the  evening  haunt.  Before  the  break  of  day 
the  dogs  are  conducted  up  the  mountain  as  silently  and  secretly  as  possi- 
ble, and  are  kept  coupled  until  some  signal,  commonly  the  firing  of  a 
small  cannon,  announces  that  the  party  commanding  the  hunt  has  arrived 
in  boats  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain  ;  then  the  dogs  are  loosed,  and 
brought  upon  the  track  of  the  deer.  If  the  business  previous  to  the 
signal  has  been  silently  and  orderly  conducted,  the  report  of  the  cannon, 
the  sudden  shouts  of  the  hunters  on  the  mountain  which  instantly  succeed 
it,  the  opening  of  the  dogs,  and  the  loud  and  continued  echoes  along  an 
extensive  region  of  woods  and  mountains,  produce  an  effect  singularly  grand. 


"  Tremble  the  forest  round  ;  the  joyous  cries 

Float  through  the  vales  ;  and  rocks  and  woods,  and  hills 
Return  the  varied  sounds." 


36 


THE  LAKES  OE  KILLARNEY. 


"  The  deer,  upon  being  roused,  generally  endeavors  to  gain  the  sum- 
mit of  the  mountain,  that  he  may  the  more  readily  make  his  escape 
across  the  open  heath  to  some  distant  retreat.  To  prevent  this,  numbers 
of  people  are  stationed  at  intervals  along  the  heights,  who  by  loud  shout- 
ing terrify  the  animal,  and  drive  him  towards  the  lake.  At  the  last  hunt 
which  I  attended,  a  company  of  soldiers  were  placed  along  the  mountain- 
top,  who,  keeping  up  a  running  fire,  effectually  deterred  him  from  once 
ascending.  The  hunt,  however,  begins  to  lose  its  interest  after  the  first 
burst,  and  the  ear  becomes  wearied  with  the  incessant  shouts  which 
drown  the  opening  of  the  hounds,  and  the  echoes  of  their  mellow  tones. 
The  ruggedness  of  the  ground  embarrasses  the  pursuers ;  the  scent  is 
followed  with  difficulty,  and  often  lost  altogether,  or  only  resumed  at  the 
end  of  a  long  interval  :  much  confusion  also  arises  from  the  emulous 
efforts  of  the  people  on  the  water  to  follow  the  course  of  the  hunt, 
especially  if  it  should  take  a  direction  towards  the  Upper  Lake,  when  the 
contending  boats  are  frequently  entangled  among  the  rocks  and  shoals  of 
the  river  which  leads  to  it.  Those  who  attempt  to  follow  the  deer 
through  the  woods  are  rarely  gratified  with  a  view,  and  are  often  excluded 
from  the  grand  spectacle  of  his  taking  the  sail,  or,  in  other  words,  plung- 
ing into  the  lake.  It  is  therefore  generally  recommended  to  remain  in  a 
boat ;  and  those  who  have  the  patience  to  wait  as  long  as  five  or  six 
hours  are  seldom  disappointed.  I  was  once  gratified  by  seeing  the  deer 
run  for  nearly  a  mile  along  the  shore,  with  the  hounds  pursuing  him  in 
full  cry.  On  finding  himself  closely  pressed,  he  leaped  boldly  from  a  rock 
into  the  lake,  and  swam  towards  one  of  the  islands  ;  but  terrified  by  the 
approach  of  the  boats  he  returned,  and  once  more  sought  for  safety  on 
the  main  shore.  Soon  afterwards,  in  a  desperate  effort  to  leap  across  a 
chasm  between  the  two  rocks,  his  strength  failed  him,  and  he  fell 
exhausted  to  the  bottom.  It  was  most  interesting  to  behold  the  numerous 
spectators  who  hastened  to  the  spot, — ladies,  gentlemen,  peasants,  hunters, 
combined  in  various  groups  around  the  noble  victim  as  he  lay  extended 
in  the  depth  of  the  forest.  The  stag,  as  is  usual  on  these  occasions,  was 
preserved  from  death." 

Walking  some  distance  up  the  hill  from  which  the  Derrycunihy  Cascade 
descends,  we  had  a  magnificent  Panoramic  View  of  the  Lakes.  From 
this  elevation  the  three  bodies  of  water  appear  spread  out  below  the  eye, 


THE   OLD    WEIR  BRIDGE. 


37 


with  their  islands  and  mountain  shores,  in  a  landscape  of  which  no 
description  can  convey  an  adequate  idea.  Fortunately,  in  this  case,  the 
pencil  "takes  up  the  burthen,"  and  in  the  wonderful  perfection  of  the 
arts,  description  can  be  conveyed  through  the  eye  almost  with  the  reality 
and  enjoyment  of  nature. 

Retracing  our  steps  through  the  tunnel,  we  found  our  boat  waiting  for 
us  on  the  margin  of  the  Upper  Lake ;  we  therefore  discharged  our  land 
conveyance,  and  trusted  ourselves  on  the  bosom  of  the  waters.  The  first 
place  to  which  our  boatman  pulled  was  Ronayne's  Island,  one  of  the 
largest  in  this  lake.  It  obtains  its  name  from  a  recluse  who  occupied  it 
for  some  years  ;  and  who,  building  himself  a  cottage  on  the  rocks  near  the 
water,  the  ruins  of  which  are  still  visible,  and,  avoiding  all  society,  employed 
himself  wholly  in  reading,  hunting  and  fishing.  He  became  exposed,  of 
course,  to  the  visits  of  curious  people,  and  was  on  such  occasions  exceed- 
ingly savage  and  morose ;  but  his  name,  says  Weld,  is  still  mentioned 
with  respect,  and  even  admiration,  at  Killarney. 

From  Ronayne's  Island,  the  prow  was  pointed  homeward,  and  with  the 
warm  sun  creating  an  atmosphere  of  midsummer  on  the  tranquil  bosom  of 
the  lake,  we  laid  in  the  stern-sheets,  and  watched  the  magnificent  changes 
in  the  mountain-groups  as  we  sped  onward,  and  wanted  nothing  but  some 
absent  friend  to  share  our  happiness.  We  soon  entered  on  the  narrow 
river  two  miles  in  length  and  called  the  Long  Range,  which  connects  the 
lakes,  and  after  winding  through  a  channel,  where  the  current  ran  very 
strongly,  came  in  sight  of  a  picturesque  old  bridge,  when  the  boatman 
requested  us  to  steer  directly  for  the  centre  of  the  arch,  with  a  caution 
to  be  careful  and  steady.  The  oars  were  then  shipped,  and  the  current 
increasing  to  great  rapidity,  the  boat  shot  under  the  bridge  with  a  velocity 
that  rather  surprised  us.  This  Old  Weir  Bridge  is  a  dangerous  spot,  and 
many  accidents  have  occurred  in  shooting  it.  "The  rapidity  of  the  current," 
says  Weld,  "forms  an  impediment  to  the  ascent  of  boats  not  to  be  coun- 
teracted without  considerable  efforts,  and  never  fails  to  occasion  much 
delay  in  proceeding  to  the  Upper  Lake."  To  render  the  boats  more 
manageable,  the  passengers  are  always  required  to  land,  and  walk  through 
the  woods  till  they  get  above  the  bridge ;  and,  even  after  being  thus 
lightened,  it  demands  the  united  strength  of  nine  or  ten  men  to  drag  a 
large  boat  against  the  stream.    The  bridge  consists  of  two  arches,  of  which 


THE  LAKES  OF  KILLARNEY. 


one  alone  affords  a  passage  for  boats,  and  obtains  its  name  from  its  form- 
ing part  of  a  contemplated  fishing  weir. 

But,  after  our  passage  through,  we  soon  gained  still  water,  and  found 
ourselves  in  a  lovely  spot.  It  was  the  Meeting  of  the  Waters.  The  route 
by  which  we  had  come  was  the  connecting  stream  with  the  Upper  Lake  ; 
that  which  now  diverged  to  the  right  connected  with  the  Middle,  Tore  or 
Muckross  Lake,  while  the  course  of  water  to  our  left  led  to  the  Lower 
Lake  or  Lough  Leane.  We  proceeded  along  the  latter  stream,  entered  the 
Lower  Lake  at  its  narrowest  portion,  and,  turning  round  a  point  to  the 
left,  landed  in  a  small  and  lovely  crescent  of  the  shore.  In  the  centre  of 
it  stood  a  picturesque  little  cottage  known  as  Lady  Kenmare's,  a  perfect  gem 
as  regards  situation,  and  the  close-shorn  lawn  of  which  descended  every- 
where to  the  edge  of  the  water  —  rocks  behind  it,  trees  around,  the 
forest  extending  up  the  mountain  in  the  rear,  and  the  solitude  of  lake 
and  mountain  burying  it  in  silence  and  beauty.  Glena  Cottage  is  a  place 
to  remember  with  a  heart-ache  when  one  is  weary  of  the  world.  With  a 
kind  thoughtfulness  Lord  Kenmare  has  here  also  erected  another  cottage 
for  the  accommodation  of  summer  tourists,  in  which  all  necessaries  are 
provided  for  cooking  a  dinner ;  and  if  lovely  scenery  can  aid  in  the 
enjoyment  of  creature  comforts,  there  is  not  a  more  beautiful  place  in  the 
world  than  this  in  which  to  celebrate  the  union ;  and  here  is  certainly  the 
place  to  test  the  virtue  of  salmon  broiled  on  arbutus  skewers,  if  the 
traveler  has  any  desire  to  enjoy  the  flavor  so  highly  eulogized  by  his 
eloquent  boatman. 

Unwillingly  leaving  this  enchanting  scene,  we  re-embarked  and  steered 
across  the  Lower  Lake  towards  Ross  Island,  the  approach  to  which  by 
water  is  remarkably  picturesque.  The  gray  towers  and  ivied  walls  of  the 
castle  appeared  as  if  emerging  from  the  waters  of  the  lake — and  glittering 
as  they  were,  at  the  moment  we  beheld  them,  with  the  rich  rays  of  the 
evening  sun,  nothing  could  be  imagined  more  strikingly  beautiful.  It  was 
long  after  our  return  to  the  hotel,  before  we  could  think  of  anything  but 
the  delightful  scenery  we  had  been  viewing ;  and  even  after  slumber  had 
steeped  our  senses  in  forgetfulness,  we  were  in  fancy  wandering  through 
the  fairy  scenes  of  this  enchanting  region. 

On  the  following  morning  we  determined  to  take  another  view  of  ln- 
nisfallen  and  Muckross  Abbey,  whose  beauties  we  had  not  sufficient  time 


CHARACTERISTICS   OF   THE  LAKE. 


39 


to  examine  on  our  first  visit.  Accordingly  we  took  boat  at  an  early  hour 
in  the  day,  in  order  to  have  full  leisure  to  admire  those  interesting  places. 
The  character  of  the  scenery  of  the  Lower  Lake  is  totally  distinct  from 
that  of  the  Middle  or  Upper  Lakes ;  it  is  distinguished  for  its  elegance 
and  beauty,  being  studded  with  rocks  aud  wooded  islands,  covered  with  a 
variety  of  evergreens.  The  Upper  Lake  on  the  contrary,  is  remarkable 
for  its  wild  sublimity  and  grandeur,  while  the  Middle  Lake  combines  in 
a  great  degree  the  characteristics  of  the  other  two.  There  are  lakes  in 
Switzerland  which,  for  single  views,  perhaps  excel  either  of  the  Lakes  of 
Killarney ;  but,  taking  the  peculiar  atmosphere,  the  variety  and  grouping 
of  the  mountains,  the  interest  of  the  ruins  on  the  shores,  and  (above  all 
to  our  thinking)  the  exquisite  mingling  of  art  with  nature,  and  Killarney 
has  no  rival.  And  still  her  lakes  are  comparatively  small,  for  the  Lower 
or  larger  one  covers  but  an  area  of  a  little  over  twelve  square  miles, 
while  the  Middle  has  only  a  surface  of  two  square  miles,  and  the  Upper 
one  has  less  than  a  mile  and  a  half.  In  the  case  of  the  two  first  named,  the 
length  is  double  the  breadth,  while  the  Upper  Lake  is  a  long  sheet  of 
water  only  about  half  a  mile  in  width.  Of  the  numerous  islets  with  which 
the  bosom  of  the  Lower  Lake  is  studded,  and  which  have  all  received 
names,  there  are  only  four  or  five  worthy  of  any  consideration,  except  as 
accessories  to  the  splendid  picture  which  nature  here  spreads  before  us. 
Though  Ross  Island  claims  superiority  from  its  extent,  for  beauty  it 
cannot  compare  with 

"  Innisfallen,  of  the  islands  queen." 

It  is  in  truth  an  isle  of  beauty  and  repose,  where  a  man,  weary  of  the 
storms  of  the  world,  might  spend  in  calm  tranquility  the  evening  of  his  life. 

Viewed  from  the  water,  Innisfallen  appeared  to  be  covered  with  an 
impervious  wood,  but  after  penetrating  the  leafy  screen  which  fringes  the 
shore,  we  found  the  interior  of  the  island  spread  out  into  beautiful  glades 
and  lawns,  embellished  by  thickets  of  flowering  shrubs  and  clumps  of 
magnificent  trees,  amongst  which  the  boasted  arbutus,  with  its  dark,  shin- 
ing leaves,  stood  conspicuously  distinct.  From  these  delightful  openings 
the  lofty  peaks  of  the  distant  Tomies  and  Glena,  with  the  misty  summits 
of  the  Purple  Mountains  which  form  the  southern  boundary  of  the  lake, 
are  distinctly  seen  ;  while  between  the  dark  stems  of  the  trees  glimpses 


40 


THE  LAKES  OF  KILLARNEY. 


are  caught  of  the  sparkling  waters  below,  and  the  more  distant  sunny 
shores. 

Innisfallen,  like  every  spot  in  this  region  of  romance,  has  its  legends. 
One  of  these  informs  us  that,  in  ancient  times,  a  friar  of  the  Abbey  of 
Innisfallen  had  wandered,  on  a  fine  summer's  day,  to  an  adjacent  grove, 
where  the  silent  tranquility  of  the  scene  and  its  perfect  seclusion  disposed 
his  mind  to  religious  meditation  and  prayer.  Devoutly  kneeling,  with  his 
thoughts  abstracted  from  the  contemplation  of  earthly  things,  and  his  soul 
exalted  with  visions  of  a  better  world,  he  heeded  not  the  flight  of  time. 
Eventually  fatigue  overcame  him,  and  he  fell  into  a  profound  slumber 
which  lasted,  on  the  authority  of  the  legend,  seven  hundred  years.  At 
the  close  of  an  afternoon  nap,  far  more  protracted  than  that  of  the 
renowned  "  Rip  Van  Winkle,"  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  that  the  holy 
man  found,  not  less  than  did  the  bibulous  Dutchman,  many  a  change  to 
have  taken  place  in  a  world  where  everything  is  perishable  and  transitory. 
On  opening  his  eyes,  and  looking  around  him,  his  senses  were  over- 
whelmed with  the  deepest  amazement.  The  whole  face  of  nature  was 
changed.  A  beautiful  lake  burst  on  his  astonished  sight,  where  no  lake 
had  been  before ;  rubbing  his  eye-lids,  to  assure  himself  that  he  was 
really  awake,  he  began  to  imagine  that  all  he  saw  was  the  effect  of  a 
miracle,  which  heaven  had  worked  while  he  slept.  With  this  conviction, 
he  arose,  repeated  an  Ave,  and  entrusted  himself  to  the  waters  of  the 
lake,  which  bore  him  in  safety  to  Innisfallen.  Directing  his  steps  to  the 
abbey,  he  entered,  with  the  hope  of  having  all  these  wonders  explained ; 
but,  alas !  a  fresh  cause  of  astonishment  awaited  him.  The  monks  were 
all  strangers  to  him,  and  ridiculed  his  improbable  story ;  and  so,  terribly 
confounded,  the  poor  friar  turned  sadly  from  the  place  where  he  was 
regarded  as  an  impudent  impostor,  and  betook  himself  to  one  of  the 
rocky  islands  of  the  lake,  where,  for  many  years  after,  he  lived  a  holy 
life,  and  died  in  the  odor  of  sanctity.  The  spot  where  the  friar  is  sup- 
posed to  have  slept  is  called  Ross  View,  and  is  about  a  mile  from  the 
town  of  Killarney.  It  is  esteemed  a  hallowed  spot  by  the  country  folk, 
who,  with  implicit  faith,  point  out  three  small  indentations  in  the  rock, 
as  being  impressions  of  his  chin  and  elbows,  caused  by  his  protracted 
repose. 

Leaving  Innisfallen,  we  directed  our  boatmen  to  pull  across  to  O'Sulli- 


O'SULLIVAN'S  CASCADE. 


11 


van's  Cascade,  which  lies  at  the  south  side  of  the  lake,  and  which  is 
shown  to  strangers  as  one  of  the  greatest  beauties  of  Killarney.  The 
shore  here  exhibits  a  sweep  of  wood  so  great  in  extent  and  so  rich  in 
foliage,  that  it  is  impossible  not  to  be  struck  with  its  beauty.  High 
overhead  rise  the  magnificent  Tomies ;  but  while  we  were  admiring  the 
sublimity  of  the  scene,  the  boat  glided  into  a  small  bay,  having  in  its 
centre  an  opening  in  the  wood  formed  by  the  bed  of  a  considerable  stream, 
which  is  the  source  of  O'Sullivan's  Cascade.  Landing  to  the  right,  we 
walked  under  the  thick  shade  of  the  wood,  over  a  rugged  declivity  close 
to  the  torrent-stream,  which  breaks  impetuously  from  rock  to  rock,  with 
a  roar  that  kindles  expectation  in  the  mind  of  a  person  visiting  this  scene 
for  the  first  time.  The  picture  we  had  formed  in  our  fancy  did  not 
exceed  the  reality :  on  a  sudden,  we  beheld  rolling  headlong  from  the 
mountain — 

"  Th'  ungovernable  torrent,  loud  and  strong, 
In  thunder  roaring  as  it  dashed  along  ; 
Leaping  with  speed  infuriate,  wildly  down, 
«  Where  rocks  grotesque  in  massive  grandeur  frown. 

With  ocean  strength  it  rushes  on  its  way, 
'Mid  hoary  clouds  of  everlasting  spray  ; 
To  its  rock-basin,  with  tremendous  roar, 
The  brown  hills  trembling  round  the  wizard  shore." 

The  stream,  which  bursts  from  the  deep  bosom  of  a  woody  glen, 
throws  itself  over  the  face  of  a  high  perpendicular  rock  into  a  basin 
concealed  from  the  spectator's  view ;  from  this  basin  it  forces  itself 
impetuously  between  two  rocks  into  another  reservoir  :  this  second  fall 
is  of  considerable  height,  but  the  third  and  lower  one  is  the  most 
striking  in  its  appearance.  Each  of  these  basins  being  large,  there  appears 
a  space  of  several  yards  between  the  three  falls ;  and  the  whole  being 
as  it  were  embowered  within  a  woody  arch,  the  effect  is  exceedingly 
picturesque  and  beautiful. 

We  next  directed  our  course  to  the  ruin  of  Muckross  Abbey,  which, 
though  not  comparable  in  extent  or  architectural  grandeur  to  many  similar 
edifices  in  Ireland,  is,  from  the  beautiful  seclusion  of  its  situation,  one 
of  the  most  interesting  monastic  remains  in  the  country.  The  Abbey, 
at  which  we  have  already  glanced,  overhangs  the  lake  in  one  of  the 
finest  parts  of  Muckross  demesne.  Embosomed  in  the  shade  of  lofty  and 
o 


42 


THE  LAKES  OF  KILLARNEY. 


venerable  ash,  oak,  yew,  elm,  and  sycamore  trees, — festooned  with  trailing 
plants,  and  garlanded  with  ivy  of  the  darkest  and  most  luxuriant  foliage, — 
it  is  more  beautiful  in  its  loneliness  and  decay  than  it  could  have  been  in 
its  pristine  state  of  neatness  and  perfection. 

The  exact  period  of  the  foundation  of  Muckross  Abbey  has  not  been 
well  ascertained,  but  that  a  church  was  situated  here  from  a  very  remote 
time,  appears  from  a  record  in  a  manuscript  collection  of  Annals  in  the 
library  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  which  states  that  the  church  of  Irrelagh 
(Muckross)  was  burned  in  the  year  1192.  The  present  ruins  are,  however, 
altogether  of  a  later  date,  and  are  the  remains  of  a  monastery  of  Conven- 
tual Franciscans,  erected  by  the  McCarthys,  Princes  of  Desmond,  and 
dedicated  to  the  Blessed  Trinity.  It  owes  its  present  state  of  preservation 
to  the  repairs  which  it  received  in  1602,  and  subsequently  in  1662,  as 
appears  from  a  black  letter  inscription  placed  on  the  north  side  of  the 
choir.  The  church  consists  of  a  nave  and  choir,  separated  by  a  small 
belfry,  which  is  pierced  by  a  narrow  Gothic  door,  connecting  the  nave  and 
choir.  On  the  south  side  of  the  nave  there  is  a  small  chapel ;  on  the 
north  side  lies  the  cloister,  which  is  the  most  perfect  and  interesting  por- 
tion of  the  building.  Within  the  walls  of  Muckross  Abbey  some  of  the 
Irish  kings  are  supposed  to  be  interred  :  the  vault  of  the  McCarthy  Mores 
is  placed  in  the  centre  of  the  choir,  and  is  marked  by  a  modern  tomb  ; 
while  a  second  monument  designates  the  resting-place  of  O'Donoghue  of 
the  Glens,  who  is  buried  in  the  same  vault. 

The  portion  of  ground  on  the  south  of  the  church  has  for  ages 
past  been  the  favorite  cemetery  of  the  peasantry  of  the  surrounding 
district;  and  it  is  not  uncommon  for  persons  who  die  at  great  distances 
from  the  place,  to  lay  their  injunctions  on  their  friends  and  relatives  to  have 
their  remains  conveyed  thither  for  sepulture, — firmly  convinced  that  their 
spirits  would  not  enjoy  rest  if  their  mortal  part  be  consigned  to  any  earth 
but  that  of  the  blessed  Muckross. 

The  cloisters  consist  of  an  arcade  of  Gothic  arches,  the  pillars  and 
mouldings  of  which  are  of  gray  marble ;  and  the  solemn  and  imposing  effect 
they  produce  is  greatly  heightened  by  a  venerable  and  majestic  yew-tree, 
which  rises  like  a  stately  column  from  the  centre  of  the  enclosure,  and, 
spreading  its  dark  and  lofty  branches  overhead,  induced  Mr.  Smith, 
who  wrote  the  History  of  Kerry,  to  compare  it,  with  more  truth  than 


CONFERENCES  WITH  THE  EXILED  NATIONALISTS. 


4' 


Mr.  O' Kelly.  In  company  with  a  friend  he  started  that  very  night  for 
Philadelphia  to  attend  a  conference  of  leading-  Nationalists  from  various 
parts  of  the  country.  Davitt  made  a  very  favorable  impression  upon  all 
present,  and  it  was  there  he  was  induced  to  prolong  his  visit  and  to 
undertake  a  more  extended  lecture  tour  than  he  had  originally  intended. 
The  men  he  met  represented  the  only  organized  Irish  National  element 
in  the  United  States.  Other  bodies  there  were,  large  and  influential, 
whose  members  were  full  of  good  will  to  Ireland,  but  they  did  not  meet 
for  purely  Irish  purposes,  and  Irish  affairs  were  not  discussed  at  their 
meetings.  There  was  a  still  larger  class  of  Irishmen  outside  of  all  dis- 
tinctively  Irish  organizations,  full  of  sympathy  for  their  native  land,  but 
encaged  in  no  work  for  her  benefit  and  havincr  no  common  oround  of 
action.  All  of  these  were  then  out  of  Davitt's  reach,  and  he  was  unknown 
to  them.  The  only  men  who  knew  of  him,  who  worked  for  the  same 
object  as  he  had  at  heart,  were  the  Nationalists,  and  they  alone  got  up 
his  first  course  of  lectures  in  America,  and  gave  him  a  platform  from 
which  to  address  his  countrymen.  Without  their  aid  he  could  not  have 
secured  an  audience  at  all,  and  without  the  proceeds  of  these  lectures  in 
his  pocket — small  as  the  amount  was — he  could  not  have  devoted  his 
time  during  the  rest  of  the  year  to  the  work  which  he  undertook.  These 
facts-  have  an  important  bearing  on  the  whole  course  of  events  for  the 
next  few  years  and  should  not  be  lost  sight  of. 

After  spending  a  few  days  with  his  mother  in  Manayunk,  he  returned 
to  New  York,  and  on  the  Sunday  after  his  arrival  delivered  his  first  pub- 
lic address  in  America  at  an  excursion  of  Irish  Nationalists,  organized  by 
a  military  body  called  the  Irish  Volunteers,  in  a  grove  on  the  banks  of 
the  Hudson.  His  first  lecture  was  delivered  in  Philadelphia,  on  Sept. 
1 6th,  and  his  second  in  New  York,  in  each  case  to  limited  audiences. 
With  the  exception  of  the  organized  Nationalists  and  a  few  of  the 
Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians,  there  was  then  no  one  who  took  an  active 
interest  in  Irish  affairs,  and  the  general  public  was  very  poorly  repre- 
sented at  his  lectures.  Numerous  conferences  were  held  before  and  after 
these  lectures,  and  at  all  these  Davitt  was  astonished  to  find  among  men 
who  firmly  believed  in  physical  force  and  looked  resolutely  to  separation 
as  the  only  solution  of  the  Irish  National  Question,  the  most  tolerant 
views  with  regard  to  agitations  seeking  minor  objects  and  the  greatest 


44 


THE  LAKES   OF  KILLARNEY. 


tell  your  honors  how  they  sparkled  with  the  life  and  joy  that  was  dancing 
in  her  young  veins.  Any  how,  she  put  poor  Frank  Fineen's  heart  into  a 
terrible  frustration  ;  and  more  besides  him,  I  can  tell  you  ;  for  there  was 
hardly  a  boy  in  the  parish,  ould  or  young,  that  wasn't  ready  to  break  his 
neck  after  her.  If  Honor  had  a  fault,  it  was  that  she  delighted  in 
bewildherin'  the  poor  souls  with  her  deludin'  ways  ;  for  it  can't  be  denied 
that  her  smile  wor  like  the  priest's  blessing — everybody  got  a  share  of  it, 
and  each  one  thought  he  himself  had  the  biggest  ind  of  it.  In  troth,  it 
was  a  shame  for  her  ;  but  sure  it's  the  way  with  all  the  cailleens,  they  like 
to  make  fools  of  the  men  ;  and  by  what  I  undherstand,  sirs,  it's  much  the 
same  amongst  the  quality  ladies.  Hows'ever,  there  was  only  two  of  all 
her  sweethearts  for  whom  Honor  really  cared  a  trawneen,*  and  these  were 
Frank  Fineen,  and  a  wild  young  chap  called  Neal  Connor,  who  had  been 
out  sogering  in  the  horse-dragoons,  and  fighting  agin  ould  Boney  and  the 
black  king  of  Morawco  in  furrin  parts,  and  who  had  lately  come  home  to 
see  his  ould  mother,  and  get  cured  of  a  wound  in  his  arm  that  happened 
to  him  by  axcidence  in  the  wars. 

"  Neal  was  a  smart,  good-looking  fellow  enough,  with  an  uncommon 
gift  of  the  gab,  and  a  free-and-asy  way  that  made  him,  like  a  tinker's  dog, 
at  home  wherever  he  went.  His  dress,  too,  was  enough  to  take  the  sight 
out  of  one's  eyes  ;  and  he  wore  a  little  cap  like  a  skimmin'-dish,  with  a  bit 
of  goold  band  round  it,  stuck  on  one  side  of  his  head,  as  if  he  thought 
everybody  should  admire  him.  Of  course,  he  had  nothing  to  do  but 
stravaige  up  and  down  the  village,  showing  his  fine  clothes,  and  divarting 
himself  with  making  love  to  all  the  purty  girls  that  came  in  his  way,  and, 
amongst  the  rest,  to  Honor  Hennesey,  whose  head  was  fairly  turned  with 
all  the  murdherin'  stories  he  told  her  of ;  his  fights  and  battles,  where  the 
colors  wor  flying,  and  the  drums  bating,  and  the  trumpets  blowing,  and 
the  cannons  tundhering,  and  the  generals  shouting  out,  '  Feigh  a  baillagh  ! 'f 
Fair  play  for  ould  Ireland!'  while  the  Connaught  Rangers,  the  darlins, 
wor  making  lanes  through  the  French  corps  with  their  swoords  and 
bag'nets.  Any  how  these  fine  discoorses  made  Honor  begin  to  fancy  she 
liked  the  young  soger  better  than  Frank  Fineen,  who  had  been  coorting 

*  Trawnecn,  the  stem  of  the  grass. 

f  Feigh  a  bailldgh  !  "  Clear  the  way,"  or,  more  literally,  "  Clear  the  pass,"  was  often  the  watchword  to  victory 
in  the  Peninsular  campaign  amongst  the  Connaught  Rangers,  who  formed  a  portion  of  the  brave  Picton's 
"  fighting  division." 


LEGEND   OF   THE    YEW   TREE.  45 

her  for  nigh  hand  a  twelve-month,  and  who  she  knew  doted  down  upon 
the  very  ground  she  walked  upon  ;  so  that  between  Frank's  honest  love 
and  Neal's  fine  speeches,  poor  Honor  didn't  know  which  of  them  to 
choose,  and,  like  many  a  girl  in  her  situation,  would  fain  have  kept  them 
both.  Hows'ever  that  could  not  be,  at  laste  in  these  parts  ;  and  so  as  the 
time  was  fast  drawing  on  that  Neal  should  return  to  his  regiment,  Honoi 
found  that  she  must  decide  one  way  or  the  other.  I  believe  it  was  only 
two  or  three  evenings  before  the  day  that  Neal  was  to  leave  the  village, 
that  a  meeting  was  held  at  the  public-house  above  the  cross-roads,  where 
all  the  boys  and  girls  of  the  neighborhood  were  gathered  to  have  a  fling 
of  a  dance  together.  It  was  understood  that  on  this  night  Honor  was  to 
make  her  choice  between  her  lovers,  so  becoorse  they  both  came  prepared 
to  do  all  they  could  to  win  the  hand  of  the  purty  cailleen.  Neal,  it  was 
remarked,  never  talked  so  fast,  laughed  so  loud,  and  whispered  such 
slewthering*  speeches  into  Honor's  ear  as  on  that  evening.  Frank,  who 
was  no  match  for  the  soger  at  the  blarney,  sat  by  without  opening  his 
lips,  but  every  now  and  then  he  threw  such  mournful  and  reproachin' 
looks  over  towards  Honor,  as  caused  her  cheek  to  turn  pale,  and  made 
her  wish  in  her  heart  that  Frank  could  spake  to  her  like  Neal.  Well,  as 
the  night  grew  late,  some  of  the  ould  people  began  to  talk  of  ghosts  and 
specrits,  and  holy  places,  and  laygends,  and  the  like ;  and,  amongst  the 
rest,  of  the  yew-tree  of  Muckross,  which  was  planted  by  the  blessed  hands 
of  St.  Colu mbkill  himself,  who  left  a  strict  order  and  command  to  all 
thrue  believers  not  to  touch  so  much  as  a  leaf  from  it.  I  don't  know 
what  put  it  into  Honor's  head,  but  says  she,  quite  suddenly,  '  I  wish  I  had 
some  of  the  leaves  of  that  tree  :  I  hear  they  are  good  for  the  tooth-ache  ; 
and  last  night  I  had  it  so  bad  I  could  not  get  a  wink  of  sleep.' 

"  Then,  giving  a  side-glance  at  her  sweethearts,  she  added,  in  a  careless 
way, 

"  '  I  wondher  is  there  anybody  here  fond  enough  of  me  to  go  to  the 
abbey  to-night,  and  fetch  me  a  handful  of  the  leaves.' 

"  '  I'll  go,'  cried  Neal  and  Frank,  jumping  up  together. 

"Honor  looked  from  one  to  the  other  in  a  laughing  wa). 

"  '  I  won't  make  little  of  either  by  preferring  one  to  the  other,'  says  she, 
'but  if  you're  both  so  eager  to  oblige  me,  I'll  give  him  who  first  brings 

*  Slewthering,  flattering. 


/ 


46  THE  LAKES  OF  KILLARNEY. 

me  a  branch  from  the  yew-tree  that  grows  in  the  church ' — here  she 
smiled  one  of  her  deludin'  smiles,  and  purtended  to  look  for  a  pin  she 
had  dropped  on  the  flure — 'I'll  give  him,'  says  she,  'whatever  he  asks  that 
'tis  in  my  power  to  bestow.' 

"The  words  had  hardly  passed  her  lips  when  the  two  young  men, 
without  the  laste  warning,  started  off,  like  a  brace  of  greyhounds,  down  the 
hill  towards  the  abbey. 

"  'Holy  mother!'  cried  Honor,  turning  as  pale  as  a  shroud,  'they  don  t 
mean  to  touch  the  blessed  tree !  Sure  they  might  know  I  was  only 
ioking  to  try  their  sperrit.  Shawn  McGarry,  achree,  run  after  them,  and 
don't  let  them  attempt  such  a  thing !    Run,  Shawn,  asthore  !  ' 

"  But  Shawn  should  have  had  the  foot  of  one  of  the  mountain-deer  to 
be  able  to  overtake  the  rivals,  who  were  already  half-way  down  the  hill. 
The  night  was  as  black  as  pitch,  but  both  the  lovers  knew  every  inch  of 
the  path,  and  you  may  be  sure  neither  of  them  let  much  grass  grow 
under  their  feet  on  the  way.  On  they  kept,  running  for  the  bare  life,  till 
Neal,  who  was  the  lightest  of  the  two,  got  a  good  piece  ahead  of  Frank, 
and  was  crossing  the  last  ditch  between  him  and  the  abbey,  when  he 
heard  a  voice  calling  to  him  in  the  pitifullest  manner  you  can  consave. 

"  '  Neal  Connor,  Neal  Connor  ! '  says  the  voice,  '  stop  and  help  a  poor 
ould  woman  that's  fallen  into  the  ditch.' 

"'I  haven't  time,'  says  Neal,  'at  the  present.' 

"  '  For  the  love  of  heaven  !  for  the  blessed  Vargin's  sweet  sake,  don't 
lave  me  to  perish  here  ! '  says  the  ould  woman. 

"  '  Don't  bother  me,'  says  Neal,  '  I  wouldn't  stop  now  for  a  univarse  of 
ould  women,'  and  away  he  run. 

"Just  then  up  comes  Frank. 

"  '  Help  a  poor  ould  crather  out  of  this,  Frank  Fineen,  and  my  bless- 
ing will  attend  you,'  cries  the  same  voice. 

"'That  I  will  and  welcome,  poor  woman,'  says  Frank,  'though  every 
minnit  is  worth  goold  to  me  now. — -Where  are  you  at  all  ? ' 

"'Here  I  am,  in  the  ditch:  give  us  your  hand,  avourneen.' 

"  Frank  reached  out  his  hand  to  her,  which  she  caught  hoult  of;  but  when 
he  tried  to  pull  her  up  she  was  so  mortial  heavy  he  could  hardly  stir  her, 

"'  Pull  away,  Frank,  abouchal — pull  away,  asthore!'  says  the  ould  woman 
from  the  bottom  of  the  ditch. 


DREADFUL  END   OF  A   MARVELLOUS  STORY. 


47 


"  '  I'm  pullin'  my  best,'  says  Frank,  making  a  great  heave,  and  raising 
her  about  half-way  up  the  bank,  when  his  foot  slipped  and  down  he  went, 
head  over  heels,  along  with  her  into  the  mud  and  sludge  of  the  ditch. 
After  struggling  and  sliddhering  about  for  a  long  while,  he  at  last  got 
himself  and  the  ould  woman  upon  dry  land. 

"'You've  done  one  of  the  blessed  works  of  mercy,  Frank,'  says  she: 
'  a  poor  ould  woman  like  me  has  little  to  give ;  but  here's  something  at 
laste  for  you  to  remember  me  by,'  and  tearing  a  bit  off  the  corner  of  her  cloak, 
she  gave  it  to  Frank,  who  put  it  in  his  pocket,  and  walked  off  towards  the 
abbey  quite  melancholy,  for  he  knew  he  had  lost  so  much  time  that  his 
chance  of  being  first  back  with  the  yew-branch  was  gone.  Surprised  at 
not  meeting  Neal  on  his  return,  he  entered  the  cloisters,  and  there  what 
did  he  behold,  but  the  soger  stretched  upon  one  of  the  tombstones,  with 
a  large  branch  of  the  blessed  tree  in  his  hand.  Frank  at  first  thought  he 
was  dead,  but  after  a  while  he  began  to  recover,  and  at  last,  with  Frank's 
help,  he  tottered  to  a  neighbor's  cabin,  where  he  was  put  to  bed,  and  the 
priest  sent  for  ;  but  before  Father  James  could  arrive  poor  Neal  Connor 
was  a  corpse.  Before  he  died,  however,  he  tould  Frank  that  the 
instant  he  cut  off  the  branch  of  the  tree,  he  heard  a  dreadful  screech — 
heaven  presarve  the  hearers  ! — and  at  the  same  time  felt  a  sudden 
bloww  from  something  he  couldn't  see,  which  struck  him  sinseless  to  the 
ground. 

"  Indeed  !  "  we  exclaimed. 

"  Aye,  your  honors  ;  but  the  most  particular  part  of  the  story  ain't  tould 
yet ;  for  the  next  day,  when  the  people  went  to  look  at  the  yew-tree,  they 
found  the  ground  around  it  steeped  in  blood  from  the  wound  that  Neal 
Connor  had  made  cutting  off  the  branch  ;  and  since  then,  the  ghost  of  the 
soldier  is  said  to  haunt  this  ould  place,  followed  by  a  big  dark  man  who 
every  night  whips  him  three  times  round  the  abbey  walls." 

We  suppose  our  ancient  chronicler  believed  us  to  be  somewhat  incred- 
ulous, for  she  hastily  added  : 

"In  troth,  sirs,  it  is  a  mighty  remarkable  laygend,  and  has  some  hard 
parts  in  it ;  but  still  an'  all,  it's  as  thrue  as  that  your  honors  are  sitting 
there  upon  that  flagstone." 

We  assured  her  that  we  placed  as  implicit  belief  in  her  narration  as 
we  did  in  any  similar  marvellous  tradition. 


48  THE  LAKES  OF  KILLARNEY. 

"But,"  we  asked,  "who  was  the  old  woman  that  Frank  helped  out  of 
the  ditch?" 

"  I  knew  you  would  be  curious  about  her.  Well,  then,  that  ould 
woman  was  no  other  than  the  blessed  Saint  Bridget  herself;  and  if  Neal 
Connor  had  shown  a  pitiful  heart  towards  the  cries  of  the  distressed,  she 
would  have  pursarved  him  from  the  misfortune  that  happened  to  him. 
As  for  Frank,  he  had  his  reward  for  the  ducking  he  got  that  night  ;  for 
in  less  than  a  month  he  was  married  to  Honor  Hennesey — and,  by  all 
accounts,  there  was  lashins  of  whiskey  at  their  weddin' ;  but  that  was 
before  Father  Mathew  and  the  Teetotallers  was  hard  of  in  these  parts." 

Having  acknowledged  the  gratification  we  had  received  by  a  small 
present  to  the  old  dame  we  quitted  the  abbey,  overwhelmed  by  a  shower 
of  blessings. 

We  had  already  passed  over  the  waters  of  the  Upper  Lake,  but 
resolved  to  devote  another  day  in  exploring  its  numerous  beauties  more 
closely,  and  in  visiting  the  wonderful  mountain-pass,  called  the  Gap  of 
Dunloe.  Our  artist  sketched  the  Upper  Lake  from  the  summit  of  the 
cliff,  through  which  the  tunnel  of  the  Kenmare  road  passes,  the  view  from 
that  point  being  specially  enjoyable  from  the  nearness  of  the  objects  which 
compose  it.  The  wild  grandeur  strikes  the  observer,  on  first  beholding  it, 
with  feelings  of  awe  and  admiration.  Perfectly  distinct  in  the  character 
of  its  romantic  scenery  from  that  of  the  Middle  and  Lower  Lakes,  the 
Upper  combines  many  of  the  softer  beauties  of  wood  and  water,  with  all 
the  stern  sublimity  of  mountain  scenery  ;  possessing  in  a  surpassing  degree 
every  variety  of  landscape  that  can  delight  the  eye  or  gratify  the  imagina- 
tion. Embosomed  amidst  majestic  mountains,  whose  fantastical  summits 
seem  to  pierce  the  sky,  the  lake  appears  to  be  completely  land-locked.  On 
the  south  lie  the  Derricunihy  mountains  and  on  the  left  the  lofty  Reeks 

"  Lift  to  the  clouds  their  craggy  heads  on  high, 
Crown'd  with  tiaras  fashioned  in  the  sky  ; 
In  vesture  clad  of  soft  etherial  hue, 
The  Purple  Mountains  *  rise  in  distant  view, 
With  Dunloe's  Gap  ." 

This  mountain  cincture  imparts  to  the  Upper  Lake  an  air  of  solitary 
beauty  and  intensity  of  interest  not  to  be  found  to  the  same  extent  in  either 

*  Purple  Mountains. — This  lofty  range  of  hills  has  acquired  its  name  from  a  beautiful  heath  of  a  bright  purple 
color,  which  clothes  them  nearly  to  the  summits,  and  gives  them,  when  viewed  at  a  distance,  a  peculiar  rich  tint. 


SCENERY  OF   THE    UPPER  LAKE. 


■19 


of  the  other  lakes.  Nature  here  sits  in  lonely  and  silent  grandeur  amidst 
her  primeval  mountains.  Solitude — stillness,  the  most  profound,  rests  upon 
the  woody  shores  and  the  tranquil  lake,  filling  and  overpowering  the  mind 
with  a  deep  sense  of  the  perfect  seclusion  of  the  scene. 

At  various  points  bright  mountain-streams  may  be  seen  pouring  down 
the  glens  and  deep  ravines — now  leaping  from  rock  to  rock,  and  flashing, 
like  living  silver,  in  the  broad  sunlight — now  glittering  in  the  shade  of 
the  dark  foliage,  till  they  are  lost  in  the  shining  waters  of  the  broad  lake. 
A  number  of  islets  of  the  most  picturesque  forms  are  also  scattered  over 
its  surface  ;  some  of  them  are  mere  masses  of  naked  rocks  ;  others,  on  the 
contrary,  are  redundant  in  vegetation,  producing  trees,  shrubs,  and  plants 
in  the  wildest  profusion,  amongst  which  the  arbutus,  with  its  tempting 
berries,  and  the  mountain-ash,  with  its  scarlet  clusters  glowing  through  the 
dark  shining  foliage  of  the  holly-tree,  are  prominently  conspicuous  in  the 
autumn  season.  In  several  instances  the  action  of  the  water  has  worn 
away  the  lower  parts  of  the  rocks  composing  these  islands,  giving  to  the 
overhanging  portions  the  resemblance  of  masses  of  giant  architecture, 
thrown  confusedly  together  by  some  convulsion  of  nature.  In  other  places 
the  rocks  are  completely  perforated,  forming  natural  arches,  sufficiently 
large  for  boats  to  pass  through  ;  and,  we  must  confess,  that  while  our  boat- 
men rested  on  their  oars  for  a  few  moments  in  one  of  these  singular 
chasms,  to  enable  us  to  examine  it  at  our  leisure,  the  threatening 
appearance  of  the  huge  impending  rocks,  supported  upon  disproportion- 
ately slender  columns  and  crumbling  foundations,  considerably  abated  the 
pleasure  that  we  should  have  enjoyed  in  the  contemplation  of  these 
strange  freaks  of  nature  at  a  more  respectful  distance. 

There  are  three  principal  islands  in  the  lake,  known  as  Ronayne's, 
McCarthy's,  and  the  Eagle's ;  besides  several  lesser  islets,  to  which  the 
lake-boatmen  have  given  names.  The  first  of  these,  and  the  derivation  of 
whose  name  we  have  already  mentioned,  is  the  centre  of  a  cluster  of  five 
lying  near  the  western  shore.  It  has  precipitous  banks,  is  finely  wooded, 
and  is  covered  with  the  richest  verdure.  From  the  summit  of  a  rock  in 
its  centre,  a  new  and  magnificent  view  may  be  obtained  of  the  whole 
scenery  of  the  Upper  Lake,  with  all  its  splendid  accessories  of  mountains, 
rocks,  and  woods.  The  spectator  there  beholds  the  cloud-crowned  peaks 
of  the  surrounding  mountains,  piled  up  like  the  eternal  barriers  of  a  vast 

7 


\ 


50  THE  LAKES   OF  KILLARNEY. 

amphitheatre,  of  which  the  sparkling  waters  of  the  lake  form  the  smooth 
arena ;  producing  a  coup-d1  ceil  which  for  beauty  and  grandeur  cannot  be 
surpassed  by  the  most  favored  spots  on  earth. 

Lord  Brandon's  Cottage  is  the  principal  object  of  interest  on  the 
western  shore  of  the  lake.  Its  situation  is  highly  romantic,  and  the  noble 
possessor  has  enhanced  the  natural  beauties  of  this  pictuersque  retreat  by 
tasteful  improvements.  A  modern  antique  tower,  erected  by  a  former 
peer,  stands  in  the  gorge  of  the  rugged  glen  of  Coomduv,  or  the  Dark 
Valley,  which,  when  viewed  from  the  lake,  with  its  majestic  mountain  back- 
ground, forms  a  bold  and  prominent  feature  in  the  picture. 

Towards  the  eastern  end,  the  Upper  Lake  becomes  attenuated  into  a 
narrow  strip  of  water,  rather  more  than  half  a  mile  long,  to  which  has, 
strangely  enough,  been  given  the  name  of  Newfoundland  Bay.  It 
is  a  lovely  inlet,  entered  between  two  lofty  crags,  and  hemmed  in  by 
rugged  precipitous  rocks,  and  thick  overhanging  trees.  Behind  this  is  a 
deep,  wooded  ravine,  through  which  a  rapid  stream  rushes  with  consider- 
able force  from  a  cataract  concealed  in  a  sequestered  glen  at  a  short 
distance  from  the  shore.  We  had  now  completed  our  tour  of  the  Upper 
Lake,  having  reached  Colman's  Eye,  a  promontory  at  the  entrance  of  the 
Long  Range,  and  were  once  more  at  the  point  where  its  waters  begin 
to  descend  to  the  Lower  Lake.  We  immediately  pass  Colman's  Leap — 
so-called,  we  were  told,  because  the  person  whose  name  it  bears  performed 
an  extraordinary  act  of  agility  at  this  very  spot.  This  Colman  was  once 
upon  a  time  lord  of  the  Upper  Lake ;  and,  instead  of  following  the 
example  of  his  namesake,  who,  as  a  saint  and  peacemaker,  assisted  St. 
Patrick  in  converting  Ireland  to  Christianity,  spent  most  of  his  time  in 
quarrelling  with  the  O'Donoghue  and  provoking  him  to  single  combat. 
Being  worsted  at  one  of  these  diversions,  it  appeared  to  him  a  prudential 
course  to  fly ;  and,  closely  pursued  by  his  adversary,  he  took  this  celebrated 
jump  over  the  river,  where  the  guides  show  you  his  foot-prints  on  the  rock. 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  objects  to  be  visited  in  passing  down  the 
river  from  Colman's  Eye  to  the  Old  Weir  Bridge  is  the  "  Eagle's  Nest," 
which  every  visitor  makes  a  point  of  seeing  before  leaving  Killarney.  It 
is  a  rugged  cone-shaped  mountain,  nearly  twelve  hundred  feet  in  height 
above  the  sea  level,  and  seven  hundred  above  the  river,  thickly  wooded  at 
its  base,  but  presenting  to  the  spectator's  eye   as  it  travels  upwards  a 


THE  EAGLE'S  NEST  AND  ITS  ECHOES. 


51 


succession  of  broken  crags,  thinly  covered  with  trailing  plants  and  flowering 
mosses.  Amongst  these  inaccessible  precipices  the  golden  eagle  (Falco 
chryscetos)  makes  its  eyry,  and  from  this  circumstance  the  mountain  derives 
its  name.  This  noble  bird,  though  formerly  common  in  the  western  parts 
of  Ireland,  is  now  rarely  to  be  found,  and  only  in  remote  and  mountainous 
districts,  where  it  breeds  amongst  the  loftiest  cliffs.  But  it  is  not  from  its 
being  the  lofty  station  of  the  king  of  birds  that  this  cliff  has  obtained  all 
its  celebrity  ;  it  is  also  remarkable  for  its  fine  echoes,  which  may  be  heard 
to  the  best  advantage  at  a  station  selected  on  the  opposite  shore.  The 
grandest  effect  is  produced  by  the  discharge  of  a  small  cannon,  the  practice 
of  firing  which  was  for  a  time  forbidden  in  consequence  of  a  frightful 
accident  having  occurred  at  one  of  the  fusilades.  The  tumultuous  and 
oft-repeated  clangor  of  the  report  is  appalling  and  truly  wonderful  ; 
each  explosion  awakens  a  succession  of  echoes,  like  peals  of  thunder, 
breaking  on  the  startled  ear  with  a  deafening  crash  that  seems  to  shake 
the  mountain  to  its  granite  foundations,  followed  by  another  and  another 
till  the  reverberations  are  lost  in  the  hoarse  and  indistinct  murmurs 
of  the  distant  hills.  A  bugle  sounded  under  the  Eagle's  Nest  pro- 
duces, on  the  contrary,  a  series  of  wild  and  solemn  melodies.  The 
plaintive  and  lonely  voices  of  the  rocks  and  glens  fill  the  soul  with  "  sweet 
sadness,"  and,  as  Inglis  says,  "makes  our  imagination  endue  the  mountains 
with  life  ;  and  to  their  attributes  of  magnitude,  and  silence,  and  solitude, 
we  for  a  moment  add  the  power  of  listening  and  a  voice." 

There  are  many  other  objects  of  minor  interest  to  which  the  stranger's 
attention  is  always  directed  in  his  voyage  down  the  channel ;  each 
possessing  some  strange  tradition  or  amusing  anecdote,  and  many  of  these, 
we  suspect,  owe  their  existence  to  the  creative  fancy  of  the  guides,  who 
endeavor  to  gratify  the  appetite  for  the  marvellous  of  the  lion-hunters 
who  visit  the  lakes,  by  inventing  the  wonderful  stories  they  relate. 

Our  attention  was  next  turned  to  the  Gap  of  Dunloe,  on  the  west  of 
the  lakes ;  and  two  miles  distant  from  its  entrance  we  came  upon  the 
cave  of  the  same  name,  discovered  in  1838  by  some  laborers  who  were 
making  a  ditch,  when  they  broke  into  a  hollow  under  the  earth.  "  The 
Cave  of  Dunloe,"  says  Hall  in  his  Hibemiia  Illustrata,  "must  be  regarded 
as  an  ancient  Irish  library,  lately  disinterred,  and  restored  to  light.  The 
books  are   the  large   impost  stones  which  form  the  roof.    Their  angles 


52 


THE  LAKES  OF  KILLARNEY. 


contain  the  writing.  A  library  of  such  literature  was  never  heard  of  in 
England  before,  and  scarcely  in  Ireland ;  and  yet  it  is  of  the  highest 
antiquity."  The  writing  consists  of  Ogham  characters,  the  age  and  reading 
of  which  have  long  been  disputed  points  amongst  antiquaries. 

At  the  entrance  to  the  gap  we  found  a  cottage,  which  we  were  told 
had  been  the  residence  of  the  celebrated  beauty,  Kate  Kearney.  It  is 
now  inhabited  by  the  reputed  grand-daughter  of  the  heroine,  who,  though 
she  bears  the  same  name,  was  to  our  eyes  unpossessed  of  the  charms 
poetically  attributed  to  her  prototype.  The  traveler  who  passes  this  way 
is  not  unlikely  to  be  offered  by  her  some  goat's  milk  seasoned  with  a 
little  potheen  ;  but,  if  he  is  a  disciple  of  Father  Mathew,  he  will  be 
inclined  to  think  a  taste  of  it  as  destructive  as  that  presented  by  the 
seductive  features  of  the  ancient  beauty,  and  of  which  we  are  told  in 
the  melody  : 

"  Beware  ere  you  sip  the  balm  from  her  lip, 
For  fatal's  the  breath  of  Kate  Kearney." 

The  Gap  of  Dunloe  is  a  wild  mountain  defile  or  pass,  lying  between 
the  Reeks  and  the  Purple  Mountain,  a  shoulder  of  the  Tomies  range. 
The  romantic  conception  of  the  peasantry  attribute  its  formation  to  a 
sword-cut  from  a  warrior  giant  of  old.  The  glen,  which  is  about  four 
miles  in  length,  presents  a  most  extraordinary  appearance.  On  either 
hand,  the  craggy  cliffs,  composed  of  huge  masses  of  projecting  rocks, 
impend  fearfully  over  the  narrow  pathway,  and  at  every  step  threaten  with 
destruction  the  adventurous  explorer  of  this  desolate  scene.  In  the  inter- 
stices of  these  immense  fragments,  a  few  shrubs  and  trees  shoot  out  in 
fantastic  shapes,  which,  with  the  dark  ivy  and  luxuriant  heather,  contribute 
to  the  picturesque  effect  of  the  landscape.  A  small,  but  rapid  stream, 
called  the  Loe  (from  whence  the  name  of  the  ravine),  traverses  the  whole 
length  of  the  glen,  expanding  itself  at  different  points  into  five  small 
lakes,  each  having  its  own  proper  name,  but  which  are  known  in  the 
aggregate  as  the  Cummeen  Thomeen  Lakes.  The  road,  which  is  a  mere 
rugged  footpath,  frequently  constructed  on  the  brink  of  precipices,  follows 
the  course  of  the  stream,  and  in  two  instances  crosses  it  by  means  of 
bridges.  One  of  these  stands  at  the  head  of  a  beautiful  rapid,  where  the 
water  rushes  in  whitening  foam  over  the  rocky  bed  of  the  torrent.  The 


ASCENT  OF  McGILLICUDDY'S  REEKS. 


53 


part  of  the  glen  which  attracts  most  admiration  is  that  where  the  valley 
becomes  so  contracted  as  scarcely  to  leave  room  between  the  precipitous 
sides  for  the  scanty  pathway  and  its  accompanying  strand.  The  peasantry 
have  given  to  this  romantic  pass  the  name  of  "  the  Pike." 

Keeping  onward,  the  visitor  begins  to  ascend  the  Purple  Mountain 
until  he  reaches  an  elevated  point,  from  whence  he  obtains  a  sudden  view 
of  the  Upper  Lake,  and  the  rich  scenery  in  its  neighborhood.  Beautiful, 
surpassingly  beautiful,  is  the  prospect  before  us !  "  On  our  right,"  says 
Mr.  Windele,  in  describing  it,  "  lies  the  deep,  broad,  desolate  glen  of 
Coomdtiv ;  an  amphitheatre  buried  at  the  base,  and  hemmed  in  by  vast 
masses  of  the  mountain,  whose  rugged  sides  are  marked  by  the  courses 
of  the  descending  streams.  At  the  western  extremity  of  the  valley, 
gloomily  reposes  amidst  silence  and  shadows  one  of  those  lakes,  or  rather 
circular  basins,  of  dark,  still  waters,  Loch  an  brie  dearg,  '  the  lake  of  the 
charr  or  red  trout.'  Other  lesser  lakes  dot  the  surface  of  the  moor,  and, 
uniting,  form  at  the  side  opposite  the  termination  of  the  gap,  a  fine  water- 
fall of  considerable  height,  enjoying  the  advantage  not  common  to  other 
falls  in  Ireland,  of  being  plentifully  supplied  with  water  at  every  season  of 
the  year." 

We  did  not  ascend  the  Reeks,  or,  more  properly,  McGillycuddy's  Reeks ; 
so  named  from  an  ancient  sept  or  branch  of  the  O'Sullivans.  They  are 
reputed  the  highest  of  the  Irish  mountains :  the  altitude  of  Carran-ticel 
(the  culminating  point  of  the  range),  according  to  the  surveys  of  Nimmo 
and  Griffith,  being  three  thousand  four  hundred  and  fourteen  feet,  making 
it  six  hundred  and  fifty-eight  feet  above  the  height  of  Mangerton,  which 
had  previously  been  considered  the  loftiest  mountain  in  Ireland. 

The  ascent  of  Carran-tuel,  "the  inverted  sickle,"  is  both  difficult  and 
dangerous,  requiring  an  active  and  experienced  guide  to  conduct  the 
courageous  traveler  by  the  fearful  precipices  which  lie  between  him  and 
the  dizzy  summit  of  this  monarch  of  the  hills,  and  is  only  to  be  encoun- 
tered by  strong  lungs,  cool  heads,  and  feet  accustomed  to  those  perilous 
mountain-paths.  But  the  peak  of  the  ridge  once  attained,  the  prospect 
from  thence  will,  we  have  been  assured,  richly  repay  the  toil  of  the  way. 
The  scene  is  magnificent  beyond  conception.  Beneath  the  spectator's 
feet  lies  "  a  sea  of  terrene  billows,  each  with  its  own  blue  lake,  amongst 
which  Lough  Carra  is  distinguished  as  the  broadest  and  fairest.   At  every 


54 


THE  LAKES   OF  KILLARNEY. 


turn  they  are  seen  in  the  sunlight  or  shadowed  by  overhanging  precipices. 
Of  the  Killarney  Lakes,  a  small  portion  only  of  the  Lower  Lake  is 
visible,  owing  to  the  interposition  of  the  Tomies  Mountains."  A  vast  and 
uninterrupted  view  is  also  obtained  from  this  elevated  point,  extending 
beyond  the  Shannon  on  the  north,  and  embracing  in  a  westerly  and 
southerly  direction  the  bays  of  Tralee,  Dingle,  Castlemaine,  Kenmare, 
Bantry,  Dunmanus,  with  Cape  Clear,  and  far  beyond  all,  the  waters  of  the 
Atlantic  Ocean,  forming  a  dark  line  of  horizon  to  the  immense  picture. 

Mangerton  Mountain  to  the  east  of  the  Upper  Lake  only  remained  to 
be  visited  now  ;  and  the  following  morning,  accompanied  by  a  guide,  we 
commenced  its  ascent.  Its  height  is  calculated  at  two  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  fifty-six  feet  ;  and  it  is  not  by  any  means  so  difficult  of 
ascent  as  Carrau-tuel,  being  easily  accessible  on  horseback.  Though  not 
so  wildly  picturesque  in  its  appearance  as  the  monarch  of  the  Reeks, 
Mangerton  possesses  sufficient  interest  to  repay  the  traveler  for  a  day's 
visit  to  it.  As  he  ascends,  a  vast  and  commanding  prospect  is  gradually 
revealed :  mountains,  plains,  and  lakes  seem  spread  like  a  map  beneath 
him  in  pleasing  distinctness  of  outline  and  position.  The  great  object  of 
attraction  to  the  visitors  of  this  mountain  is  the  Devil's  Punch-bowl,  which 
lies  near  its  summit,  and  usually  forms  the  limit  of  their  examination. 
This  "  Bowl,"  which  is  a  small  lake  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  diameter, 
is  contained  in  a  deep  chasm  of  the  mountain.  Its  waters,  which  appear 
of  an  inky  blackness  from  the  dark  nature  of  the  surrounding  peat-soil 
and  the  overhanging  shadow  of  the  perpendicular  rocks,  are  intensely  cold, 
yet  they  have  never  been  known  to  freeze.  The  supply  is  principally  from 
springs,  and  the  overflow  of  the  water  discharges  itself,  under  the  name 
of  the  Devil's  Stream,  down  the  side  of  the  mountain,  and  after  forming 
the  Tore  Waterfall,  flows  into  the  Middle  Lake.  The  Bowl  has  been 
conjectured  by  many  persons  to  be  the  crater  of  an  extinct  volcano.  This 
opinion  seems,  however,  to  have  been  formed  on  very  slight  grounds,  for 
there  are  not  the  most  remote  traces  of  volcanic  action  anywhere  in  its 
vicinity;  and  if  the  hypothesis  were  founded  merely  on  the  shape  of  the 
Bowl,  the  same  supposition  might  with  equal  correctness  be  extended  to 
every  other  lake  or  tarn  to  be  found  in  such  numbers  amongst  the  entire 
chain  of  these  mountains.  The  Punch-bowl,  independent  of  the  natural 
interest  it  possesses,  has  gained  an  additional  celebrity  from  the  circumstance 


ARCH^.OLOGICAL  REMAINS  AT  AGHADOE. 


55 


of  the  great  statesman,  Charles  James  Fox,  when  on  a  visit  to  Lord 
Kenmare,  in  1772,  having  swam  round  the  basin — a  feat,  like  that  of  Lord 
Byron's  swimming  across  the  Hellespont,  which  subsequent  travelers  feel 
more  disposed  to  admire  than  to  imitate. 

Before  leaving  Killarney  we  visited  the  venerable  ruins  of  Aghadoe, 
situated  between  two  and  three  miles  to  the  north-west  of  the  town, 
and  upon  rising  ground  that  commands  a  view  of  the  Lower  Lake  with 
its  numerous  islands  and  the  lovely  valley  in  which  it  lies  embosomed. 
The  place,  the  ancient  name  of  which  was  Achadh-da-eo,  was  once 
the  seat  of  a  bishopric,  and  it  is  stated  in  the  Annals  of  Innisfallen  to 
have  been  the  burial-place  of  a  son  of  O'Donaghue.  The  only  mural 
remains  extant  are  those  of  its  Cathedral,  Castle,  and  Round  Tower. 
The  former  of  these  is  a  low  building,  consisting  of  a  nave  and  choir 
of  unequal  antiquity ;  the  nave  in  the  Romanesque  style,  on  the  west, 
being  considered  by  many  antiquarians  to  be  of  the  eighth  century ; 
while  the  choir,  on  the  east,  is  in  the  pointed  style  and  presumably 
an  addition  of  the  thirteenth  century.  They  are  separated  by  a  solid 
wall  in  which  there  appears  to  have  originally  been  an  opening.  The 
entire  length  of  the  cathedral  is  about  eighty  feet,  and  its  breadth 
twenty  feet.  The  choir  contains  some  tombs,  and  was  lighted  by  a 
double  lancet  window  over  the  altar,  and  another  in  the  side  wall. 
The  nave  was  lit  by  two  small  round-headed  windows,  and  still  possesses 
in  its  western  wall  a  Romanesque  doorway  of  elaborate  fashion  and 
exquisite  finish,  consisting  of  a  semicircular  arch  springing  from  pillars, 
and  embellished  with  chisellings  in  fretwork,  and  carvings  in  relievo.  So 
rich  and  graceful  is  the  effect  that  it  is  puzzling  to  understand  how  so 
elegant  a  portal  should  adorn  so  plain  a  building.  The  walls  are  densely 
covered  with  ivy,  and  there  are  so  many  sad  memorials  of  humanity 
strewn  upon  the  ground  that  a  recent  visitor  remarks  "we  might  well 
wish  that  man  had  taken  a  lesson  from  that  simple  plant,  and  covered 
them  up,  even  as  the  ivy  covers  the  mouldering  walls." 

The  Round  Tower  stands  a  short  distance  from  the  northwest  anode 

o 

of  the  cathedral.  All  that  remains  of  it  is  a  portion  of  the  basement 
story,  about  twelve  feet  high,  having  an  outer  circumference  of  fifty-two 
feet,  but  enough  to  show  that  it  has  been  much  better  built  than 
either  the  adjacent  castle    or    church.    Many  of   the  stones  have  been 


56 


THE  LAKES   OE  KILLARNEY. 


removed  to  mark  tombs  in  the  graveyard ;  and  within  and  without  the 
spoliators  have  been  at  work,  among  them  the  "gold-seekers,"  infatuated 
dreamers  of  hidden  treasures  who  have  injured  the  antiquities  of  Ireland 
more  than  all  the  devastations  of  her  wars  and  rebellions.  Of  the 
Castle,  some  little  distance  off,  and  called  the  "  Bishop's  Chair,"  as  the 
Round  Tower  is  called  the  "  Pulpit,"  all  that  remains  is  the  fragment 
of  a  tower  about  thirty  feet  in  height,  with  walls  seven  feet  in  thickness 
and  containing  a  flight  of  stairs  within.  Its  circular  form,  with  traces 
of  earth-work  surrounding,  lead  to  the  belief  that  it  was  built  in  the  ninth 
century,  and  indicate  its  similitude  to  the  Saxon  Castles. 

It  is  impossible  to  depart  from  this  enchanting  region  without  regret ; 
and  it  is  equally  impossible  for  the  thoughts  ever  to  revert  to  it  without 
the  mind's  eye  being  filled  with  the  magnificent  pictures  it  presents.  Of 
the  uniform  beauty  of  the  scenery,  we  can  conceive  of  no  more  apt 
illustration  than  that  which  we  find  given  by  the  critical  author  of  the 
"  Irish  Sketch  Book  "  in  his  reply  to  a  self-put  query,  as  to  what  can  be 
said  about  the  Middle  Lake.  "  When  there,  we  agreed  that  it  was  more 
beautiful  than  the  large  lake,  of  which  it  is  not  one  fourth  the  size  ;  then, 
when  we  came  back,  we  said,  '  No,  the  large  lake  is  the  most  beautiful '  ; 
and  so,  at  every  point  we  stopped  at,  we  determined  that  that  particular 
spot  was  the  prettiest  in  the  whole  lake.  The  fact  is,  and  I  don't  care  to 
own  it,  they  are  too  handsome." 

There  is,  however,  one  drawback  to  the  full  enjoyment  of  all  this 
beauty  ;  and  that  is  in  the  visitor  being  dogged  at  every  step  by  a  miserable 
retinue  of  beggars,  "mountain  dew"  girls,  buglers,  and  touters,  who  torment 
the  ear  with  their  persistent  entreaties,  and  who  cannot  but  with  difficulty 
be  got  rid  of  until  they  have  worried  their  victim  to  an  acquiescence  in 
their  demands.  We  know  of  no  other  country,  except  perhaps  Italy, 
where  such  a  nuisance  would  be  tolerated,  and  we  are  satisfied  it  might 
be  at  least  considerably  abated,  if  not  entirely  suppressed,  at  Killarney  by 
a  determination  on  the  part  of  the  local  authorities  that  it  shall  no  longer 
exist.  The  picturesque  places  of  Switzerland,  Scotland,  and  other  European 
lands  are  free  from  this  mendicant  plague,  and  it  is  certain  that  the  charm 
of  a  summer  sojourn  in  the  White  Mountains,  the  Adirondacks,  or  the 
Alleghanies  would  be  greatly  diminished  if  the  American  tourist  were 
required  to  submit  to  the  pest. 


GLENFLESK  AND  KILL  A  HA  CASTLE. 


57 


CHAPTER  III. 

VALLEYS  OF  THE  FLESK  AND  THE  LEE. 

Killaha  Castle — Labbig-Owen  —  Mac  room  —  Inchageela  —  Lough  Allua  —  Gougane  Ban  a  — 
Remarks  on  "Patrons" — Pass  of  Keimaneigh — Abbey  and  Castle  of  Kilcrea — Plundering 
Bands  of  Kernes — Ballincollig — Inniscarra — "The  Ovens" — Carrigrohan  Castle — Love  of 
Dancing  amongst  the  Irish — Approach  to  Cork. 

IN  these  days  of  rapid  locomotion,  the  tourist  almost  invariably 
arrives  at  and  departs  from  Killarney  by  the  branch  of  the  Great 
Southern  and  Western  Railway,  which  connects  Tralee,  a  score  of  miles 
further  west,  with  the  main  line  at  Mallow,  forty  miles  to  the  east,  from 
whence  the  latter  proceeds  in  a  northwardly  direction  to  Dublin  and  a 
southwardly  to  Cork.  It  being,  however,  our  province  to  view  the  beauties 
of  the  land,  rather  than  to  travel  upon  beaten  tracks,  we  selected  as  the 
route  for  our  return  to  Cork  the  now  little  frequented  common  road 
running  through  the  valley  of  the  Flesk  to  Macroom,  whence  we  passed  down 
that  of  the  Lee,  taking  by  the  way  the  romantic  scenery  that  environs  its  source. 

The  Flesk  River,  which  is  formed  by  the  junction  of  two  mountain 
streams,  after  a  rapid  and  tortuous  course  through  the  valley  to  which  it 
gives  its  name,  enters  the  open  country  about  seven  miles  from  Killarney 
at  Killaha  Castle,  and  after  a  brief  but  interesting  career  through  woods 
and  plains,  savage  rocks,  and  flower-enamelled  banks,  mingles  with  the 
waters  of  the  Lower  Lake  at  Castlelough.  Killaha  Castle,  now  in  ruins, 
was  formerly  a  stronghold  of  the  O'Donoghues,  erected  about  the  close 
of  the  fifteenth  century  for  the  protection  of  the  important  pass  of  Glen- 
flesk,  at  the  southern  extremity  of  which  it  is  situated.  Running  parallel 
to  the  high-road,  the  river,  which  is  here  narrow,  but  deep  and  winding, 
traverses  the  valley.  The  sides  of  the  glen  are  composed  of  sterile 
mountains,  exhibiting  continuous  ranges    of  weather-beaten  crags  rising 

8 


58 


VALLEYS  OF   THE  FLESK  AND   THE  LEE. 


in  terraces  one  above  the  other,  interspersed  with  patches  of  coarse 
heather,  and  scanty  pasturage  for  a  few  goats  and  poor-looking  cattle. 
In  the  lower  parts  of  the  glen  and  along  the  banks  of  the  river  the 
soil  is  rich  and  abundant ;  and  the  traveler's  eye  is  relieved  by  the 
sight  of  cultivated  plains,  verdant  meadows,  and  waving  fields  of  yellow 
grain,  checkered  by  the  vivid  green  of  the  frequent  potato-garden,  that 
invariable  appendage  to  the  Irish  peasant's  cottage. 

At  the  southern  extremity  of  the  valley,  opposite  to  the  entrance  from 
Killarney,  a  series  of  precipitous  rocks  which  form  the  face  of  the 
Crochawn  mountain  at  the  opening  of  the  glen  have  received  the  name 
of  Phil-a-dhaun,  or  the  Cliff  of  the  Demon.  About  midway  up,  a  fissure  in 
the  rock,  called  Labbig-Owen,  or  Owen's  Bed,  is  pointed  out  as  the  place 
of  refuge  of  a  notorious  outlaw,  who  formerly  had  his  head-quarters  in 
this  district.  The  passage  to  this  mountain  retreat  is  intricate  and  toilsome ; 
but  after  some  difficult  scrambling  over  loose  stones  and  broken  crags, 
the  visitor  reaches  the  foot  of  the  Outlaw's  Rock,  and  by  means  of  a 
ladder  gains  access  to  what  is  called  his  bed.  This  is  only  a  rough  platform, 
overhung  by  a  portion  of  the  cliff  which  effectually  shelters  it  from  the 
rain  and  the  crumbling  of  the  rock  above.  Here,  armed  and  provisioned,  and 
accompanied  by  only  one  faithful  follower,  Owen,  secure  in  his  impregnable 
lair,  defied  for  a  time  all  attempts  of  his  enemies  to  seize  him.  His 
fireplace,  table,  stool,  etc.,  hewn  from  the  rock,  are  still  pointed  out  by 
the  guides,  who  delight  in  recounting  numerous  anecdotes  of  the  prowess, 
courage,  and  generosity  of  the  Irish  Rob  Roy. 

The  history  of  this  outlaw  is  variously  related.  It  would  appear  from 
the  most  authentic  accounts,  that  he  was  of  the  McCarthy  race,  and,  as  in 
duty  bound,  a  follower  of  O'Donoghue  of  the  Glens.  Mr.  Croker  is  of  the 
opinion  that  he  was  a  mere  cattle-thief,  and  that  his  marauding  propensities 
rendered  him  amenable  to  the  law  and  obliged  him  to  take  refuge  at 
Labbig,  where  he  for  a  long  time  baffled  his  pursuers,  until,  becoming 
weary  of  his  situation,  or  for  some  other  and  unknown  reason,  he  quitted 
his  favorite  haunt  and  retired  to  Iveleary,  amongst  whose  mountain-crags 
he  imagined  himself  in  perfect  security.  But  there,  if  we  are  to  believe 
Mr.  Windele,  in  an  evil  hour  he  sought  the  shelter  and  protection,  as  he 
imagined,  of  an  old  friend,  but  in  reality  his  bitterest  enemy.  His  host, 
who  was  named  Reardon,  rejoiced  in  the  possession  of  one  whom  he  had 


THE   TOWN  AND   CASTLE   OF  MACROOM. 


59 


long  wished  to  have  within  his  grasp  ;  and,  regardless  of  the  universal  law 
of  hospitality,  treacherously  devised  his  destruction.  Owen's  well  known 
strength  and  valor  induced  him  to  avoid  the  hazard  of  an  open  attack, 
and  led  him  to  resort  to  the  cowardly  device  of  stratagem.  Placing  the 
bed  of  his  intended  victim  over  a  trap  near  the  fire,  it  was  lowered  during 
the  night,  and  its  sleeping  occupant  brutally  murdered  with  graffaiiJts 
(three-pronged  pitchforks),  and  decapitated  by  Reardon  and  his  accomplices 
— an  act  of  treachery  which  brought  lasting  odium  upon  the  neighboring 
bearers  of  the  name,  who  obtained  therefrom  the  reproachful  cognomen  of 
Reardane  na  ceean,  or  Reardon  of  the  Head.  Owen's  attached  follower 
was  so  overcome  with  grief  on  learning  of  the  fate  of  his  leader,  that  he 
threw  himself  over  the  face  of  the  cliff,  and  was  dashed  to  pieces  on  the 
rocks  beneath. 

Macroom  is  a  considerable  market-town,  lving  nearlv  midwav  on  this 
route  between  Cork  and  Killarney.  It  is  placed  on  a  neck  of  land  formed 
by  the  river  Lee  with  the  Sullane,  which  latter  rises  some  ten  miles  to 
the  west  in  the  Derrvnasa^art  mountains,  a  ran^e  that  intervenes  between 
this  district  and  the  Paps  of  Killarney  ;  and,  though  a  fine  river  and  even- 
way  equal  to  the  Lee  except  in  the  length  of  its  course,  bride-like  resigns 
its  name  as  soon  as  they  become  united.  The  ancient  name  of  Macroom 
was-  Maigh  cruim,  signifying  the  plain  of  Crom,  who  was  the  Jicpiter 
Tonans  of  the  Irish ;  and  here  the  second  order  of  Druids,  the  Bards, 
held  their  meetings,  even  after  the  introduction  of  Christianity.  There  is 
little  to  interest  the  antiquarian  or  tourist  in  the  town.  It  is  the  terminus 
of  a  railway  which  runs  down  the  valley  of  the  Lee,  and  connects  it  with 
the  city  of  Cork  twenty-four  miles  distant.  The  surrounding  country  is 
diversified  in  its  character.  Large  tracts  of  bog  lie  in  close  proximity  to 
it ;  but  the  bold  mountain  range  which  stretches  to  the  north  makes  an 
agreeable  variety  in  the  features  of  what  would  otherwise  be  a  very 
monotonous  landscape. 

The  castle,  adjoining  the  town,  is  an  ivy-mantled  ruin.  Tradition  assigns 
its  foundation  to  King  John,  but  of  this  there  are  some  strong  doubts. 
The  probability  is,  that  it  was  built  by  the  family  of  the  O'Flynns,  from 
whom  it  derives  the  Irish  name  Caslean-i-Fhlionn,  or  O'Flynn's  Castle. 
This  ancient  family  once  held  extensive  possessions  in  the  baronies  ol 
Carberry  and   Muskerry,   to   the   latter  of  which  they  gave  the  name  of 


/ 


60  VALLEYS   OF   THE  FLESK  AND    THE  LEE. 

"O'Flynn's  pleasant  country."  This  castle  was  the  scene  of  several  sieges 
in  the  seventeenth  century,  when  it  was  burnt  down  no  less  than  four 
times ;  and  during  one  of  these  struggles  it  was  garrisoned  by  the  Roman 
Catholic  Bishop  of  Ross,  who  was  afterwards  hanged  by  Lord  Broghill 
before  the  walls  of  Carrigadrohid.  It  is  also  asserted  that  Admiral  Sir 
William  Penn,  the  father  of  the  renowned  Pennsylvania  quaker,  was  born 
within  its  walls.  Contiguous  to  the  ruins  is  the  modern  Macroom  Castle, 
an  elegant  mansion,  and  one  of  the  seats  of  the  Earl  of  Bantry. 

From  Macroom  we  turned  for  a  score  of  miles  to  the  westward,  out  of 
our  direct  route  to  Cork,  for  the  purpose  of  visiting  Loughs  Allua  and 
Gougane  Barra,  near  to  which  the  river  Lee  takes  its  rise.  Here  the 
country  is  of  such  peculiarly  romantic  beauty,  as  well  entitles  it  to  a  visit 
from  every  traveler  possessing  the  least  taste  for  nature  in  the  rude 
grandeur  of  her  solitary  retreats.  The  road,  which  at  first  is  not  very 
interesting  and  rather  circuitous,  runs  through  the  valley  of  Garra  and  the 
rugged  tract  called  "  O'Leary's  Country  ; "  but  as  we  approached  the  village 
of  Inchageela  it  assumed  a  wilder  and  more  striking  aspect,  being  everywhere 
broken  up  into  craggy  hills,  clothed  with  heath,  furze,  and  numerous  other 
shrubs  and  plants  that  flourish  in  these  rocky  regions.  Emerging  from  a 
deep  glen,  we  came  in  view  of  the  village,  an  irregular  assemblage  of  poor 
habitations,  and  of  the  ancient  Castle  of  Carrignacurra.  Formerly  a  place 
of  some  strength,  belonging  to  the  O'Learys,  this  castle  is  now  reduced  to 
a  single  lofty  tower,  whose  moss-covered  walls,  surrounded  by  thriving 
plantations,  afford  an  agreeable  relief  to  the  eye  amidst  the  wild  and 
cheerless  scenery  in  which  it  stands. 

Leaving  Inchageela  we  found  ourselves  entering  into  the  deep  solitude 
of  the  mountain  district,  where  the  Lee  expands  itself  into  a  beautiful 
sheet  of  water,  called  Lough  Allua  (from  Lough-a-Laoi,  the  Lake  of  the 
Lee),  about  three  miles  in  length,  and  in  some  places  nearly  a  mile  in 
breadth.  The  rocky  outlet  of  the  water  of  the  lough  in  some  places,  is 
not  more  than  three  or  four  feet  wide — 

"  Amid  heaps 
Of  mountain  wreck,  on  either  side  thrown  high, 
The  wide-spread  traces  of  its  wintry  might, 
The  tortuous  channel  winds  o'er  beds  of  sand  : 
Here  silently  it  flows — there  from  the  rock 
Rebutted,  curls  and  eddies — plunges  here 
Precipitate — there,  roaring  among  crags, 
It  leaps  and  foams  and  whirls  and  hurries  on." 


LOUGHS  ALLUA   AND   GOUGANE  BARRA 


61 


The  lough  is  picturesquely  dotted  with  clusters  of  islands ;  but  the 
natural  beauty  of  the  scene  has  been  considerably  impaired  by  the 
destruction  of  the  woods  which  clothed  the  islets,  and  skirted  the  sur- 
rounding banks.  The  road  lies  on  the  northern  side  of  the  lough,  following 
the  indentations  of  its  winding  shores,  through  scenery  of  the  most 
diversified  yet  solitary  character,  which  will  gratify  the  warmest  expectations 
of  the  tourist  who  has  leisure  to  investigate  all  its  various  beauties.  At 
the  west  end  of  Lough  Allua  is  a  mountain  bearing  the  sad  though  poetic 
name  of  Coolnegreenane,  or  the  Mountain  Unknown  to  the  Sunbeam; 
while  to  the  south  lie  the  Sheehy  Hills,  which  intervene  between  the 
valleys  of  the  Lee  and  the  Bandon  at  Dunmanway. 

After  passing  Lough  Allua,  the  river  contracts  itself  into  a  narrow  stream, 
and  the  traveler  approaches,  through  narrow  defiles  and  deep  glens,  the 
sequestered  lough  of  Gouqane  Barra,  or  The  Gurgling  Head, — the  first 
pausing  place  of  the  infant  Lee,  which  bursts  from  the  deep  recess  of  a 
rocky  mountain  a  short  distance  from  this  spot.  The  Lough,  which  is 
situated  in  a  deep  mountain  recess,  is  enclosed  on  every  side,  except  the 
east,  with  steep  and  rocky  hills,  down  whose  precipitous  sides  several 
mountain-streams  pour  their  bright  tributes  into  the  placid  waters  beneath. 

The  small  island  in  this  lough,  connected  with  the  shore  by  a  rude 
artificial  causeway,  is  traditionally  known  as  the  wild  home  of  St.  Fionn 
Barr,  the  saintly  founder  of  Cork  ;  and  is,  indeed,  an  admirably  chosen 
place  for  the  enjoyment  of  undisturbed  solitude,  and  the  indulgence  of 
devout  meditation.  The  origin  of  his  retreat  here  is  stated  to  be  as 
follows:  "St.  Patrick,  after  banishing  the  reptiles  out  of  the  country, 
overlooked  one  hideous  monster,  a  winged  dragon,  which  desolated  the 
adjacent  country,  and  power  was  conferred  on  a  holy  man,  named  Fineen 
Bar,  to  drown  the  monster  in  Gougane  Lake,  on  condition  of  erecting  a 
church  where  its  waters  met  the  tide  ;  and  the  saint,  having  exterminated 
the  monster,  fulfilled  the  agreement  by  founding  the  present  cathedral  of 
Cork."  Several  aged  trees,  of  the  most  picturesque  forms,  grow  upon  the 
shores  of  this  island,  and  overshadow  the  ruins  of  the  chapel  built  by  the 
saint.  The  court  or  cloister,  and  other  buildings  appertaining,  cover  nearly 
half  the  area  of  the  island.  In  the  centre  of  the  court  we  found  the 
shattered  remains  of  a  wooden  cross,  on  which  were  nailed  innumerable 
shreds  and  patches,  the  grateful  memorials  of  cures  performed  on  devotees 


62 


VALLEYS  OF   THE  FLESK  AND    THE  LEE. 


who  had  made  pilgrimages  to  this  holy  retreat,  and  by  whom  this  sacred 
relic  is  held  in  extraordinary  veneration.  The  Scene  at  Gougane  Barra, 
which  our  artist  has  given  us,  represents  a  gathering  of  pilgrims  at  this 
holy  shrine. 

Around  the  court  are  eight  small  circular  cells,  in  which  the  penitents 
are  accustomed  to  spend  the  night  in  watching  and  prayer.  The  chapel 
that  adjoins  it  stands  east  and  west,  the  entrance  being  through  a  low 
doorway  at  the  eastern  end.  The  length  of  the  interior  is  about  thirty-six 
feet,  and  its  width  fourteen.  The  side  walls,  however,  are  not  more  than 
four  feet  in  height,  so  that  when  roofed  it  must  have  been  extremely 
low,  not  probably  exceeding  twelve  feet.  The  walls  of  the  convent 
adjoining  are  similar  in  height  to  those  of  the  chapel.  Mr.  Windele 
says,  its  entire  extent  "is  fifty-six  feet  in  length  by  thirty-six  in  breadth; 
it  consists  of  four  small  chambers,  and  one  or  two  extremely  small 
cells ;  so  that  when  we  consider  their  height,  extent,  and  the  light 
they  enjoyed,  we  may  easily  calculate  that  the  life  of  the  successive 
anchorites  who  inhabited  them  was  not  one  of  much  comfort  or  convenience, 
but  much  the  reverse — of  silence,  gloom,  and  mortification.  Man  elsewhere 
loves  to  contend  with  and  emulate  nature  and  the  greatness  and  majesty 
of  her  works ;  but  here,  as  if  awed  by  the  sublimity  of  surrounding 
objects,  and  ashamed  of  his  own  real  littleness,  the  founder  of  this  desecrated 
shrine  constructed  it  on  a  scale  peculiarly  pigmy  and  diminutive."  Indeed, 
while  contemplating  this  and  many  other  unworldly  recesses  in  different 
parts  of  Ireland,  it  is  impossible  to  avoid  a  conviction  that  the  wild  scen- 
ery of  those  solitary  islands  and  untrodden  glens  must  have  had  con- 
siderable effect  in  nurturing  an  ascetic  tendency  in  the  minds  of  religious 
enthusiasts. 

A  charming  description  of  Gougane  Barra  has  been  left  us  by  a  young 
poet  named  James  Joseph  Callanan,  a  native  of  Cork,  who,  had  he  lived 
to  realize  the  promise  that  his  early  writings  held  out,  would  have  proved 
himself  one  of  Ireland's  most  distinguished  lyrists.  The  simple  beauty  of 
the  style  and  freshness  of  the  language  induce  us  to  transcribe  the  com- 
mencement of  his  poem:  — 

"  There  is  a  green  island  in  low  Gougane  Barra, 
Where  Allua  of  songs  rushes  forth  as  an  arrow, 
In  deep-valleyed  Desmond,  a  thousand  wild  fountains 
Come  down  to  that  lake  from  their  home  in  the  mountains. 


HOLY   WELLS  AND  "PATRONS: 


63 


There  grows  the  wild  ash,  and  a  time-stricken  willow 

Looks  chidingly  down  on  the  mirth  of  the  billow  ; 

As,  like  some  gay  child,  that  sad  monitor  scorning, 

It  lightly  laughs  back  to  the  laugh  of  the  morning. 

And  its  zone  of  dark  hills, — Oh  !  to  see  them  all  bright'ning, 

When  the  tempest  flings  out  its  red  banner  of  lightning. 

And  the  waters  rush  down,  'mid  the  thunder's  deep  rattle, 

Like  the  clans  from  the  hills  at  the  voice  of  the  battle  ; 

And  brightly  the  fire-crested  billows  are  gleaming, 

And  wildly  from  Mullagh  the  eagles  are  screaming  ! 

Oh !  where  is  the  dwelling,  in  valley  or  highland, 

So  meet  for  a  bard  as  this  lone  little  island?  " 

It  would  be  impossible  to  convey  by  language  a  more  vivid  and  truthful 
picture  of  the  "lone  island"  than  that  contained  in  these  vigorous  lines. 

Upon  the  island  is  a  well  which  is  supposed  to  possess  peculiar  virtues, 
and  is  consequently  much  resorted  to  by  pilgrims.  Here,  and  on  the 
shores  of  the  lake,  a  very  large  and  celebrated  Patron  was  formerly  held 
on  St.  John's  day,  when  numerous  tents  were  pitched,  and  a  kind  of 
carnival  held,  in  which  dancing  and  singing,  interspersed  with  love-making, 
praying,  and  fighting,  formed  the  principal  business ;  but  the  grossness  of 
the  proceedings  and  the  frequent  choice  of  the  occasion  for  the  contests  of 
hostile  factions,  eventually  led  to  the  Roman  Catholic  clergy  discountenan- 
cing the  meeting.  As  many  of  our  readers  may  have  never  heard  of  the 
Irish  Patron — or,  as  it  is  more  generally  pronounced,  Pattern — it  may  be 
as  well  to  explain  that  it  is  an  assemblage  of  persons  of  both  sexes  at  a 
particular  place,  for  the  performance  of  certain  religious  ceremonies  and 
penances.  The  locality  usually  chosen  is  a  "  Holy  Well,"  in  all  probability 
one  of  those  which,  in  the  early  Christian  ages,  had  been  used  by  the 
priests  for  the  purposes  of  baptism.  Many  of  these  have  in  their  vicinity 
a  hermitage,  chapel,  or  tomb  of  the  pious  man  whose  sanctity  attaches 
itself  to  the  well,  and  whose  waters  in  consequence  are  said  to  possess 
miraculous  virtues  in  healing  the  sick  and  maimed.  The  time  at  which 
the  believers  in  those  wonderful  cures  resort  to  the  health  giving-  font,  is 
on  the  anniversary  of  the  Patron  saint  of  the  well.  On  such  occasions  it 
is  not  unusual  to  see  several  thousand  persons  collected  at  a  celebrated 
fountain,  many  with  pious,  but  mistaken  zeal,  performing  their  painful 
penances  on  their  bare  knees  around  the  holy  well  for  themselves  or  on 
behalf  of  their  friends ;    for  it   is  not   unusual,  when   the   penance  is  too 


64 


VALLEYS  OF   THE  FLESK  AND    THE  LEE. 


severe  for  the  strength  or  inclination  of  the  principal,  to  have  "  the  stations," 
as  they  call  the  routine  of  the  performance,  executed  by  proxy.  The 
original  intention  of  the  Patron  was  evidently  of  a  religious  character ; 
but,  we  repeat,  in  process  of  time  it  degenerated  into  a  scene  of  such 
riot  and  debauchery,  as  to  cause  the  suppression  of  these  meetings  by  the 
clergy.  To  the  east  of  the  island  the  waters  issue  from  the  lough,  and 
form  the  head  of  the  River  Lee,  which  at  this  point  is  so  shallow  that  it 
may  be  crossed  by  a  few  stepping-stones  ;  and  thence  it  pours  its 
irregular  course  over  huge  ledges  and  masses  of  rock — now  sweeping 
onward  headlong,  and  now  pausing  in  dark  eddying  pools  through  the 
rugged  valley,  until  it  reaches  Lough  Allua. 

Before  quitting  this  neighborhood  we  journeyed  still  further  to  the 
west,  for  the  purpose  of  visiting  the  Pass  of  Keimaneigh,  or  the  Path  of 
the  Deer,  a  rugged  ravine,  one  mile  in  length,  which,  for  picturesque 
though  gloomy  grandeur,  we  have  never  seen  surpassed,  even  in  this  region 
of  romantic  glens  and  mountain  defiles.  Through  this  pass  runs  the  high 
road  from  Macroom  to  Bantry,  having  the  appearance  of  being  excavated 
between  the  precipitous  crags,  which,  rising  on  either  hand,  assume  the 
resemblance  of  fantastic  piles  and  antique  ruins,  clothed  with  mosses  and 
lichens,  with  here  and  there  the  green  holly  and  ivy,  contributing  by  the 
richness  of  their  tints  to  the  beauty  of  the  scene.  Even  the  arbutus, 
which  by  many  is  supposed  to  be  peculiar  to  Killarney,  is  found  here 
clinging  to  the  overhanging  rocks.  "We  behold  with  wonder,"  says 
an  agreeable  writer,  "  this  and  the  ash,  and  other  hardy  plants  and 
shrubs,  growing  at  immense  heights  overhead — tufting  crags,  inaccessible 
to  the  human  foot,  while  we  are  astonished  to  think  how  they  got  there. 
The  London-pride  grows  here,  and  on  the  surrounding  mountains,  as 
well  as  amongst  the  ruins  of  Gougane  Barra,  in  the  most  astonishing 
profusion.  On  the  mountains  of  Tore  and  Mangerton,  near  Killarney, 
it  is  met  with  in  great  abundance  ;  but  its  profusion  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  Lee  far  exceeds  all  comparison."  Having  completed  our  examination 
of  Keimaneigh,  we  began  to  retrace  our  route  to  Macroom,  highly 
gratified  with  our  visit  to  these  romantic  scenes,  which,  were  they 
found  in  almost  any  other  part  of  Europe,  would  be  a  favorite  pilgrimage 
for  those  lovers  of  the  picturesque,  who  haunt  the  Rhine  and  traverse 
the  Alps  in  search  of  nature  in  her  wild  and  beautiful  solitudes. 


RUINED  FRIARY  AT  KIICREA 


65 


From  Macroom  we  proceeded  to  Cork  down  the  valley  of  the 
Lee — here  a  sweet  and  sylvan  stream  ;  and  about  midway  came  to  the 
ruins  of  the  Abbey  and  Castle  of  Kilcrea.  The  abbey  occupies  a  retired 
and  picturesque  situation  on  the  margin  of  the  Bride,  a  small  river  which 
takes  its  rise  in  the  neighborhood  of  Kilmurry,  and  for  several  miles  winds 
through  a  long  valley,  in  the  midst  of  which  was  formerly  the  Bog  of 
Kilcrea — a  dreary  morass  rendered  almost  impervious  to  the  traveler  by 
the  matted  underwood,  and  other  rank  vegetable  productions,  with  which 
it  was  overgrown.  The  numerous  remains  of  large  oaks  still  found  in  the 
neighborhood  show  that  the  greater  part  of  this  vale,  and  the  lofty  uplands 
by  which  it  is  surrounded,  were  in  more  ancient  times  covered  by  a  vast 
wood. 

The  friary,  as  well  as  the  church  which  adjoins  it,  are  worthy  the 
attention  of  the  antiquarian  and  the  artist.  An  avenue  of  venerable  ash 
and  elm  trees  conducts  the  visitor  to  the  church,  and  prepares  the  mind 
for  the  solemn  impressions  which  the  gloomy  appearance  of  the  ruins  is 
calculated  to  inspire.  It  is  said  that  a  nunnery  existed  on  this  spot  at  a 
very  early  date,  of  which  the  abbess  was  St.  Cyra  or  Cera,  whose 
anniversary  is  celebrated  on  the  16th  of  October;  but  all  traces  of  such 
an  institution  have  long  since  disappeared.  The  friary  is  stated  to  have 
been  founded  in  1478.  Its  church  was  dedicated  to  St.  Bridget  or  Bride. 
The  ruins  are  both  picturesque  and  interesting,  and  consist  of  nave,  choir, 
and  transepts,  with  a  tower  eighty  feet  in  height,  rising  from  the 
junction  of  the  two  former.  Separated  from  the  nave  by  three 
pointed  arches  is  a  side  aisle,  which  was  divided  in  the  same  manner 
from  the  transept.  Tradition  reports  that  Cromwell  and  his  soldiers 
destroyed  the  mullions  of  the  windows,  and  stabled  a  troop  of 
horse  in  the  adjoining  refectory.  The  principal  interest  in  these 
mural  remains  arises  from  the  melancholy  contemplation  of  the 
gloomy  and  neglected  aisles,  where  the  dust  of  prince  and  peasant 
lie  mingled  in  undistinguishable  confusion,  beneath  the  ruinous  tomb- 
stones which  are  scattered  over  every  portion  of  the  church  and 
friary.  Most  of  these  stones  bear  the  names  of  the  old  families 
and  septs  of  the  district — McCarthy,  McSwiney,  and  Barrett,  being 
the  most  numerous.  In  the  south  transept  is  the  tomb  of  Herlihy, 
Bishop  of  Ross,  one  of  the  three  Irish  bishops  who  attended  the 
9 


GG 


VALLEYS  OF   THE  FLESK  AND   THE  LEE. 


council  of  Trent.*  The  passage  from  the  church  to  the  friary  is  on  the 
north  side  of  the  nave,  through  an  enclosure  called  the  "  Earl's  Chamber." 
From  thence  the  visitor  proceeds  to  the  different  chambers  of  the  friary, 
the  names  and  uses  of  each  being  furnished  by  the  guide,  who  points  out, 
with  confident  volubility,  the  kitchen,  refectory,  dormitory,  penitentiary, 
etc.,  all  of  which  were  pleasantly  lighted  by  numerous  oblong  side  lights. 
The  cloister  which  adjoins  the  north  wall  of  the  choir  is  a  large  square 
court,  around  which  ran  a  covered  ambulatory,  where  the  brotherhood 
were  wont  to  walk  in  wet  weather.  The  other  portions  communicated 
with  the  cloister  by  five  doors,  which  opened  into  it.  The  monks  who 
resided  here  belonged  to  the  Franciscan  Order,  commonly  called  "  Gray 
Friars ; "  and  if  we  are  to  believe  an  old  ballad,  their  house  was  ever  open 
for  the  hospitable  reception  of  the  benighted  wayfarer,  for  it  informs  us 

"  Three  monks  sat  by  a  bogvvood  fire  ; 

Bare  were  their  crowns,  and  their  garments  gray. 
Close  sat  they  to  that  bogwood  fire, 
Watching  the  wicket  till  break  of  day ; 
Such  was  ever  the  rule  at  Kilcrea. 
For  whoever  passed,  be  he  Baron  or  Squire, 
Was  free  to  call  at  that  abbey,  and  stay, 
Nor  guerdon  or  hire  for  his  lodging  pay, 
Though  he  tarried  a  week  with  its  holy  choir  ! " 

*In  the  nave  of  the  church  lie  the  mortal  remains  of  "Arthur  O'Leary  the  outlaw,"  who  died  May  4th,  1773,  at 
the  age  of  twenty-six.  This  unfortunate  gentleman  fell  a  victim,  in  the  prime  of  early  manhood,  to  the  barbarous 
penal  enactments  against  Catholics,  which  in  his  day  disgraced  the  British  Statute  Books.  He  was  possessed  of 
considerable  property,  which  could  only  be  personal,  as  the  laws  prohibited  the  holding  of  real  estate  by  Roman 
Catholics,  to  which  religious  faith  he  belonged.  He  had  been  an  officer  in  the  Hungarian  service,  and  on  his  return 
to  Ireland  his  influence  over  the  tenantry  of  his  old  patrimonial  estate  excited  the  jealousy  of  Mr.  Morris,  one  of  its 
landed  proprietors,  which  was  further  inflamed  by  a  horse  of  his  having  been  defeated  in  a  race  by  one  of  O'Leary's. 
This  latter  event  impelled  Morris  to  avail  himself  of  the  then  existing  law,  prohibiting  a  Roman  Catholic  from 
possessing  a  horse  exceeding  five  pounds  in  value,  and  to  attempt  a  legalized  robbery  by  publicly  tendering  O'Leary  that 
amount  and  demanding  the  very  animal  that  had  won  the  race.  This  offer  was  indignantly  refused  by  the  young 
Irishman,  who  declared  he  would  surrender  the  horse  only  with  his  life  ;  and  a  scuffle  ensued  out  of  which  he  was 
glad  to  escape  alive.  By  a  summary  process  he  was  proclaimed  on  the  spot  an  "  outlaw,"  and  soldiers  were  stationed 
to  intercept  him  on  his  return  to  his  residence,  two  of  whom  ineffectually  fired  at  him  from  an  ambush  as  he  approached 
his  home.  This  fire  was  returned  by  O'Leary  from  a  gun  which  he  carried,  when  another  shot  from  the  soldiers  laid 
him  dead  on  the  road.  The  brutal  penal  laws  followed  him  even  in  death,  and  prohibited  his  interment  in  consecrated 
ground  ;  his  body  was  accordingly  buried  in  a  field  outside  the  abbey,  where  it  lay  for  several  years.  On  being  tried 
in  Cork  for  O'Leary's  death,  Morris  was  acquitted  ;  but  the  event  was  avenged  by  a  brother  of  the  murdered  man, 
who,  watching  his  opportunity,  fired  three  shots  at  him  through  the  windows  of  his  lodgings  in  a  public  street  in  Cork, 
one  of  which  inflicted  a  wound  in  his  side,  of  which  he  soon  after  died.  O'Leary's  brother  escaped  to  America, 
where  he  is  reported  to  have  lived  to  a  good  old  age.    Such  was  the  state  of  Ireland  little  over  a  century  ago! 


1 


CASTLE   OF  BALLINCOLLIG. 


87 


At  a  short'  distance  from  the  friary  stands  the  Castle  of  Kilcrea,  said  to 
have  been  built  in  the  fifteenth  century  by  the  same  Cormac  McCarthy, 
Lord  of  Muskerry,  who  founded  the  church  and  friary.  The  ruins  betoken 
it  to  have  been  a  place  of  considerable  extent  and  rude  magnificence.  A 
staircase,  composed  of  dark  marble — of  which  there  are  extensive  quarries 
in  the  neighborhood — leads,  by  a  flight  of  seventy-seven  steps,  from  the 
ground-floor  to  the  summit  of  the  building,  becoming  spiral  as  it  approaches 
the  higher  chambers.  The  upper  apartment,  which  was  spacious  and  well 
lit,  formed  the  state-room ;  its  floor,  which  is  now  unsheltered  by  a  roof, 
is  overgrown  with  grass,  from  which  circumstance  it  is  called  the  parkeen- 
glas,  or  "little  green  field."  Traces  of  outworks  are  still  visible  around 
the  castle ;  and  on  the  east  side  is  the  bawn,  a  small  fortified  area,  defended 
by  curtain  walls  and  two  square  towers.  This  enclosure,  in  former  times, 
served  by  day  as  a  place  of  recreation  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  castle, 
and  bv  ni^ht  as  a  secure  retreat  for  the  cattle  of  the  estate.  The  latter  were 
in  no  less  danger  from  their  natural  enemies,  the  wolves,  than  from  the 
plundering  bands  of  kernes  or  gallowglasses  of  the  various  hostile  septs, 
who,  as  opportunity  or  hope  of  prey  allured  them,  swept  the  country  with 
whoop  and  shout,  rifling  and  burning  the  dwellings  of  the  unprotected 
peasants,  and  carrying  away  their  cattle  to  their  impregnable  mountain 
fastnesses.  There  they  enjoyed  their  triumph  until  the  chief  whose  lands 
had  been  robbed,  watching  his  time,  rushed  out  with  his  enraged  followers, 
and  in  the  darkness  of  night  retaliated  upon  the  aggressors,  by  committing 
infinitely  more  mischief  than  he  had  sustained,  and  driving  off,  if  possible, 
double  the  number  of  cattle  which  his  clan  had  lost. 

From  Kilcrea  the  railway  took  us  to  Ballincollig,  a  neat  little  town, 
five  miles  from  Cork.  The  castle  of  Ballincollig,  near  the  town,  was  once 
a  stronghold  of  the  Barretts,  an  Anglo-Irish  family,  who  possessed  large 
estates  in  this  county,  and  gave  their  name  to  the  adjoining  barony.  It 
is  a  plain,  quadrangular  tower,  about  forty  feet  in  height,  in  the  centre  of 
a  walled  enclosure,  defended  by  towers.  A  natural  cave,  which  runs  some 
distance  into  the  rock  beneath  the  keep,  is  still  shown  as  the  place  where 
the  former  possessors  of  the  castle  confined  their  prisoners.  The  edifice 
cannot  boast  any  great  extent  or  architectural  beauty,  nor  is  there  much 
to  interest  the  antiquarian  in  its  ruins,  although  it  is  said  to  have  been 
built  as  far  back  as  the  time  of  Edward  III. 


68 


VALLEYS  OF   THE  FLESK  AND    THE  LEE. 


Within  a  mile  of  the  village  of  Ballincollig  the  beautiful  river  Bride 
unites  with  the  Lee.  The  rich  lowland  adjoining  the  junction  of  the 
rivers  is  called  Inniscarra,  or  the  Beloved  Island,  where  the  pious  St.  Senan 
founded  a  monastery  in  the  sixth  century.  It  is  a  sweet  secluded  spot, 
admirably  adapted  for  meditation  and  the  alienation  of  the  heart  from 
worldly  concerns.  Not  a  vestige  of  this  establishment,  however,  is  now  to 
be  discovered. 

A  succession  of  several  natural  caves  are  to  be  seen  near  The  Ovens, 
a  small  hamlet  in  this  neighborhood,  that  derives  its  name  from  those 
subterranean  chambers,  some  of  which  are  said  in  shape  to  resemble 
ovens.  Two  or  three  of  them  are  accessible  to  the  curious  ;  but  there  is 
little  to  render  them  worthy  a  particular  description  here.  Like  all  caves 
found  in  limestone  countries,  they  are  merely  a  succession  of  irregularly- 
sized  chambers,  hung  with  spars  and  stalactites,  and  connected  by  narrow 
and  intricate  passages.  Travelers  who  have  visited  the  caves  of  Mitchels- 
town,  or  that  of  Dunmore,  in  the  county  Kilkenny,  will  find  these  at 
Ovens  much  inferior  to  the  former  in  romantic  beauty,  and  in  size  and 
extent  ;  although  the  country  people  say  that  they  extend  underground  as 
far  as  the  Castle  of  Carrigrohan,  a  distance  of  four  miles.  The  great 
number  of  these  singular  caverns  found  in  Ireland  is  owing,  in  almost 
every  instance,  to  the  calcareous  or  limestone  strata,  of  which  the  island 
is  composed.  To  the  same  cause  may  be  attributed  much  of  the  pictur- 
esque charms  of  its  scenery  — ■  its  numerous  waterfalls,  deep  glens, 
subterranean  rivers,  natural  bridges,  and  precipitous  cliffs,  which  are  not 
to  be  met  with  to  the  same  extent,  variety,  and  beauty,  in  any  other 
country. 

On  the  summit  of  a  steep  rock  overhanging  the  river  Lee,  near  the 
affluent  of  the  Blarney,  about  four  miles  from  Cork,  stand  the  picturesque 
ruins  of  the  Castle  of  Carrigrohan.  They  consist  of  two  distinct  piles ; 
one,  the  more  ancient  —  built  in  the  early  feudal  times,  when  the  security 
of  the  chieftain  depended  on  the  number  of  his  followers  and  the  strength 
of  his  castle  walls — is  now  a  mere  heap  of  ruins,  whose  massive  architecture, 
narrow,  gloomy  chambers  and  vaulted  dungeons,  show  that  it  must  formerly 
have  been  a  place  of  some  importance.  The  other  building,  which  is  in 
better  preservation,  belongs  to  that  era  when  the  ancient  castle  began  to 
assume    the   more  peaceful  characteristics   of  the   modern  manor-house. 


CARRIG ROHAN  AND    THE  McCARTHYS 


69 


The  McCarthys  are  said  to  have  been  the  founders  of  the  ancient  portion 
of  this  castle;  from  one  of  whom,  surnamed  Rohuin  or  "the  Nobleman,"  the 
name  of  the  fortress,  Carrigrohan,  or,  the  Rock  of  Rohan,  is  derived. 
It  is  mournful,  while  wandering  through  this  part  of  southern  Ireland,  to 
meet  everywhere  the  crumbling  relics  of  the  greatness  of  this  once 
powerful  family,  whose  very  memory  is  now  nearly  forgotten,  or  remem- 
bered only  by  those  to  whom  they  are  endeared  by  the  traditions  of  the 
country,  or  who  find  a  sad  pleasure  in  turning  over  the  pages  of  ancient 
Ireland's  eventful  history.  While  viewing  those  mouldering  ruins,  we  could 
not  forbear  picturing  to  ourselves,  that,  perhaps  within  these  very  walls 
the  ancient  kings  of  Munster — the  proud  McCarthys  Mor — sat  surrounded 
by  warriors  and  statesmen,  bards  and  chieftains,  receiving  embassies  from 
foreign  princes ;  though  it  may  be  said  of  the  last  of  this  noble  race,  that— 

"  In  the  fields  of  their  country  they  found  not  a  grave."  * 

Carrigrohan  was  destroyed  in  the  Great  Rebellion,  though  the  ruins  were 
afterwards  occupied  by  a  Captain  Cope,  the  notorious  leader  of  a  band  of 
robbers  who  infested  this  part  of  the  country,  and  were  the  terror  of  the 
neighborhood  for  a  Ions:  time. 

We  remember  it  was  after  a  day  spent  many  years  ago,  in  wandering 
through  the  beautiful  scenery  which  embellishes  the  banks  of  the  Lee, 
that  we  were  attracted  by  the  sounds  of  music.  Guided  by  them  we 
proceeded  along  a  by-road  until  we  came  to  a  sheebeen,  or  small  public-house, 
in  front  of  which  a  number  of  persons  of  both  sexes  were  assembled. 
The  younger  portion  of  the  company  was  seated,  some  on  the  grass  and 
others  upon  deal  forms  arranged  around  a  small  reserved  space.  In  the 
centre  of  this  space  an  active,  clean-limbed  young  fellow  was  dancing  with 
an  indefatigable  energy  that  put  every  muscle  and  fibre  of  his  frame  in 
motion.  Opposite  to  him,  a  pretty  modest-looking  girl,  with  her  eyes 
fixed  upon  her  shoe-strings,  footed  it,  less  vigorously  perhaps,  but  with  no 

*  Robert,  the  fourth  Earl  of  Clancarty,  the  lineal  descendant  of  the  Kings  of  Munster,  was  the  son  of 
Donogh,  whose  estates  were  confiscated  for  his  adherence  to  James  II.  After  vainly  seeking  a  restitution  from 
George  II.,  he  retired  to  France,  where  he  was  allowed  by  Louis  XV.,  apartments  in  the  palace,  rank  in  the 
army,  and  the  privileges  of  the  higher  nobility.  Notwithstanding  all  this,  he  was  haunted  by  an  ever-yearning 
love  for  his  native  land;  and  in  order,  as  he  often  declared,  to  die  in  the  sight  of  British  soil,  he  repaired  to 
Boulogne-sur-Mer,  where,  on  a  handsome  pension  from  the  French  king,  he  lived  in  the  hospitable  style  which 
accorded  with  his  disposition,  and  in  the  society  of  the  English  and  Irish  refugees  who  made  that  sea-port  their 
place  of  residence.    He  died  in  1770,  at  the  age  of  eighty  four,  leaving  two  sons,  who  had  no  legitimate  issue. 


70 


VALLEYS  OF   THE  FLESK  AND    THE  LEE. 


less  determination,  to  the  popular  jig  tune,  "  The  Rakes  of  Mallow," 
perpetrated  by  a  blind  piper,  who  had  been  planted  by  the  "boys"  on  a 
bundle  of  fresh  straw,  laid  by  way  of  a  cushion  on  an  upturned  cleave* 
A  churn-dash  stuck  into  the  earth  supported  on  its  flat  end  a  cake,  which 
was  to  become  the  prize  of  the  best  dancer.  The  contention  was  carried 
on  for  a  long  time  with  extraordinary  spirit.  At  length,  the  competitors 
yielded  their  claims  to  a  young  man,  the  son  of  a  rich  farmer  in  the 
neighborhood,  who,  taking  the  cake,  placed  it  gallantly  in  the  lap  of  a 
pretty  girl,  to  whom  we  heard  he  was  about  to  be  married.  The  victor, 
to  show  his  generosity,  ordered  a  large  supply  of  whiskey  to  be  distributed 
to  those  present ;  and  as  this  acknowledgment  is  always  expected  from 
the  dancer  who  gains  the  cake,  it  is,  as  a  matter  of  policy,  generally 
conceded  to  him  who  is  considered  to  be  best  able  to  pay  for  the  honor. 

The  mirthful  dances  of  Ireland  are  the  jig,  reel,  hornpipe,  country- 
dance,  and  cotillon.  Of  these  the  jig  is  the  dance  peculiar  to  the  land; 
and  its  music  as  well  as  the  steps  used  in  dancing  thereto,  being  totally 
different  from  every  other  known  movement,  entitle  it  to  be  distinguished 
as  the  national  Irish  dance. 

The  approach  to  Cork,  along  the  old  coach  road  from  Ballincollig,  is 
through  a  fertile  and  highly  improved  country,  and  the  entrance  to  the 
city,  by  the  western  outlet,  is  exceedingly  beautiful.  About  a  mile  from 
the  city  the  view  is  very  imposing — the  spacious,  well-formed  road,  the 
venerable  trees  of  the  Mardyke  Walk,  the  handsome  county  jail,  the 
mansions  of  the  gentry  exhibiting  taste  and  comfort  united  in  a  remarkable 
degree,  and  the  richly  cultivated  fields  which  stretch  along  the  banks  of 
the  river,  giving  to  this  side  of  the  city  a  character,  of  wealth  and  grandeur, 
which  prepossesses  one  in  favor  of  the  place  before  he  enters  it. 

*  Cleave  —  A  large  kind  of  basket,  carried  by  the  peasantry  on  the  back. 


ROUTES  FROM  CORK    TO  QUEENSTOWN. 


71 


CHAPTER  IV. 

QUEENSTOWN  AND  ITS  HARBOR. 

The  River  Lee  below  Cork — Glanmire  and  Dunkettle — Blackrock  Castle  and  its  associations — 
Ursuline  Convent — Dundanion  Castle  —  Little  Island — Subterranean  Chambers  at  Carrig- 
tohill  —  Lough  Mahon  —  Foaty  —  Passage — Giant's  Stairs — Motikstown  and  its  Castle  — 
Queenstown — Ancient  and  Modern  Yachting — Barrymore  Island — Queenstown  Harbor  — 
Drake's  escape  from  the  Spaniards — Beauties  of  the  Harbor  and  River  Scenery — Rostellan 
Castle — Sword  of  Brian  Boroihme  —  Castle  Mary  and  its  Ancient  Cromlechs — Cloyne 
and  its  Cathedral  —  Bishop  Berkeley  —  Turaghan,  or  Round  Tower  — -  Remarks  on  the 
Round  Towers  of  Ireland. 

HAVING  made  a  very  complete  survey  of  the  "beautiful  city"  upon 
our  previous  visit,  we  now  merely  took  it  "  on  the  wing "  in  our 
passage  to  the  mouth  of  the  Lee  and  the  harbor  of  Queenstown.  The 
public  -means  of  conveyance  from  Cork  to  the  latter  place  are  three  in 
number — the  Queenstown  division  of  the  Great  Southern  and  Western 
Railway,  a  dozen  miles  in  length,  which  passes  along  or  near  to  the  left 
bank  of  the  river,  and  half-way  sends  off  a  branch  to  Youghal ;  the  Cork, 
Blackrock  and  Passage  line,  which  runs  along  the  right  shore  for  about 
six  miles  to  Passage,  whence  the  rest  of  the  journey  is  performed  by 
water ;  and  the  middle,  and  far  more  picturesque,  course  by  steam-boat 
over  "  the  pleasant  waters  of  the  River  Lee,"  calling  on  the  way  at 
Blackrock,  Passage  and  Monkstown.  It  did  not  require  a  minute's 
consideration  for  us  to  select  the  latter  route,  and  the  hour  that  the  boat 
consumed  in  conveying  us  to  our  destination  was  crowded  with  many 
charming  pictures  of  passing  scenery.  From  our  starting  point  at  St. 
Patrick's  Bridge  the  river  runs  eastwardly  for  about  a  couple  of  miles  to 
the  promontory  of  Blackrock,  having,  after  we  have  cleared  the  busy 
quays,  its  left  bank  delightfully  wooded  and  ornamented  with  pleasant 
villas,  while  on  the  right,  the  Victoria  Park,  which  has  been  won  by  the 


72 


QUEEN STOWN  AND  ITS  HARBOR. 


hand  of  man  from  a  marshy  tract,  intervenes  between  the  river  and  its 
bank,  which  is  less  elevated  than  that  on  the  opposite  shore.  Close  to 
the  river's  edge  on  the  former,  run  the  Glanmire  road  and  the  Queenstown 
railway,  and  on  the  latter,  the  stream  is  skirted  by  the  New  Wall,  built 
for  the  purpose  of  narrowing  the  navigation  of  the  river,  and  now  forming 
a  fashionable  promenade  with  accommodations  for  out-door  music  ;  while 
the  Cork  and  Passage  Railway  forms  a  prominent  feature  on  this  side  of 
the  picture. 

The  hills  on  each  side  of  the  Lee  afford  so  many  inviting  situations, 
that  it  is  no  wonder  they  have  become  literally  studded  with  villas 
encompassed  by  extensive  pleasure  grounds  ;  and  these  so  increase  the 
picturesque  effect  of  what  has  been  poetically  termed  "  the  noble  sea 
avenue  to  Cork"  that  an  eastern  traveler  has  been  led  to  assert,  "a  few 
minarets  placed  in  its  hanging  gardens  would  realize  the  Bosphorus." 
The  high  bank  on  the  left  or  northern  shore  rises  immediately  below 
Cork,  and,  with  its  panoramic  display  of  combined  wood  and  villa,  continues 
for  three  miles,  when  it  is  interrupted  by  a  romantic  valley,  at  the  head 
of  which  is  situated  the  village  of  Glanmire,  on  a  small  river  bearing  the 
same  name,  as  well  as  that  of,  the  Glashaboy.  But  as  we  have  already 
referred  to  the  beauties  of  this  suburb  of  Cork  in  our  first  chapter,  we 
must  not  dwell  here,  but  pass  to  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river,  remarking 
however,  en  passant,  that  the  most  important  of  the  suburban  residences 
which  deck  the  wooded  slope  between  Cork  and  Glanmire,  are  Tivoli, 
Fort  William,  Lota  Park  and  Lota  House,  and  that  the  mansion  and 
demesne  of  Dunkettle  are  charmingly  situated  near  the  spot  where  the 
Glanmire  river  unites  its  waters  with  those  of  the  Lee.  It  has  been 
stated  by  Mr.  Townsend,  who  many  years  ago  wrote  a  description  of 
Cork  and  its  vicinity,  that  "all  the  situations  of  the  Lee  are  fine,  but 
none  of  them  enjoy  so  extensive  a  combination  of  beauties  as  Dunkettle." 

The  peninsula  and  castle  of  Blackrock  lie  on  the  shore  opposite 
Dunkettle,  and  form  a  prominent  feature  in  the  picture  of  the  River 
Lee  below  Cork,  which  our  artist  sketched  from  the  Glanmire  Hill. 
The  little  peninsula  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  outlets  of  Cork,  and 
is,  like  the  opposite  bank,  thickly  studded  with  country  houses  and  neat 
cottages.  The  castle  was  built  in  the  early  part  of  the  reign  of  James 
I.,  by  the  Lord  Deputy  Mountjoy,  for  the  defence  of  the  river  which 


BLACKROCK  AND   CA  RRIG  TO  HILL. 


73 


washes  its  base,  and  had  additions  made  to  it  in  1722.  Here  an 
Admiralty  Court  was  held  by  the  mayors  who  were  appointed  by  several 
charters  Admirals  of  the  Harbor,  a  right  which  has  been  annually 
asserted  on  the  first  of  August,  by  the  mayor  and  corporation  sailing 
to  its  entrance  and  performing  the  ceremony  of  throwing  a  dart  into 
the  sea,  as  a  testimony  of  their  jurisdiction.  On  the  authority  of  the 
city  council  book,  Dr.  Smith  mentions  that,  in  1627,  the  question  ot 
the  Mayor  of  Cork  being  Admiral  of  the  Harbor  was  contested  with 
the  corporation  by  Edward  Champion,  for  the  Lord  Barry.  The  present 
edifice,  erected  nearly  half  a  century  ago,  on  the  foundation  of  the  old 
one,  is  in  the  castellated  Gothic  style,  having  a  circular  battlemented 
tower  with  a  smaller  turret,  in  which  a  light  is  burnt  for  the  guidance 
of  the  shipping.  Not  far  distant  stands  the  Convent  of  the  Ursulines, 
one  of  the  most  celebrated  institutions  of  its  kind  in  Ireland,  if  not  in 
Europe,  but  more  remarkable  for  its  extent  than  for  its  architectural 
beauty.  A  little  to  the  west  of  Blackrock,  on  the  side  looking  towards 
the  city,  lie  the  castle  and  grounds  of  Dundanion,  through  the  latter 
of  which  the  railroad  to  Passage  runs  in  a  deep  cutting.  The  modern 
mansion,  surrounded  by  venerable  trees,  takes  its  name  from  that  of  the 
old  one,  the  ruins  of  which  still  exist. 

Turning  our  attention  once  more  to  the  left  bank  of  the  Lee,  after 
passing  Dunkettle,  the  eye  is  attracted  by  Little  Island,  or  Lisle, 
so  called  in  opposition  to  Great  Island,  or  Barrymore,  situated  further 
down  the  river.  Little  Island  is  a  considerable  tract  on  which  is 
situated  Inchera  House,  and  is  separated  from  the  mainland  by  a 
shallow  and  narrow  tidal  stream.  This  island  and  the  grounds  of 
Dunkettle  are  both  overlooked  by  the  Mathew  Tower,  a  circular 
structure  erected  by  Mr.  Connor  to  the  memory  of  the  great  temperance 
advocate. 

Two  or  three  miles  back  of  Little  Island,  and  close  to  the  Youghal 
railway,  lies  the  small  village  of  Carrigtohill,  with  little  to  recommend 
it  to  the  notice  of  the  tourist,  except  its  subterranean  chambers  and 
circular  intrenchments,  of  which  peculiar  conformations  no  less  than  fifteen 
or  sixteen  have  been  discovered  at  different  times  in  this  neighborhood. 
Though  we  visited  these  caverns  upon  an  occasion  different  to  that 
which  carried  us  along  the  current  of  the  river  Lee,  we  shall  diverge  from 
10 


74 


Q  UEENSTO  WN  AND  ITS  HARBOR. 


our  direct  course  for  a  few  moments  to  describe  them  here,  as  they  prop- 
erly belong  to  the  district  about  which  we  are  now  writing. 

Earthen  mounds,  raised  by  human  labor,  are  very  numerous  throughout 
Ireland,  and  amongst  the  peasantry  are  called  indiscriminately  Raths  in 
the  Irish  language,  and  Danish  Forts  in  the  English  ;  the  construction  of 
them  being  popularly  attributed  to  the  Danes.  This  indiscriminate  nom- 
enclature is,  however,  an  error  into  which  even  writers  upon  Irish  antiq- 
uities have  fallen.  The  word  rath,  strictly  speaking,  should  be  applied 
only  to  those  earthen  works  intended  for  purposes  of  military  defence, 
and  never  to  the  mounds  which  are  evidently  sepulchral  tumuli. 

The  subterranean  chambers  at  Carrigtohill,  which  were  discovered  in 
1835,  are  situated  within  one  of  these  circular  forts  or  raths.  The  descent 
to  them  is  by  a  narrow  sloping  passage,  which  leads  into  a  small  excav- 
ated chamber,  of  about  seven  feet  in  diameter,  formed  without  any 
masonry.  Similar  underground  works  have  been  discovered  within  the 
boundaries  of  several  of  the  ancient  forts,  some  being  regular  sets  of  cham- 
bers, as  is  the  case  at  Carrigtohill,  others  are  simply  long  galleries,  with 
an  entrance  in  the  centre  of  the  intrenchment  ;  while  in  many  instances, 
no  trace  can  be  found  of  any  passage  to  the  inside.  Various  conjectures 
have  been  advanced  as  to  the  uses  of  these  raths  and  chambers.  By  the 
best  informed  they  are  supposed  to  have  been  the  sites  of  the  dwellings 
of  the  ancient  inhabitants,  before  they  exchanged  their  rude  habitations 
for  castles  of  stone  and  walled  towns.  The  vestiges  of  buildings  still 
found  on  some  of  the  more  extensive  raths,  and  the  decayed  bones  (chiefly 
those  of  the  ox)  and  charcoal,  which  are  often  discovered  in  large  quantities 
on  turning  up  the  ground,  are  strong  corroborative  evidences  that  these  places 
once  formed  the  defensible  places  of  abode  or  retreat  for  the  old  Irish 
chieftains  and  their  dependents.  The  proximity  to  each  other  in  which 
these  mounds  are  usually  found,  as  if  for  the  purpose  of  ready  communi- 
cation in  time  of  need,  shows  that  though  divided  into  chieftainries,  each 
under  the  command  of  its  particular  head,  the  septs  united  upon  great 
occasions  to  repel  a  common  enemy  or  resent  a  common  insult.  This 
form  of  government,  by  which  every  petty  chief,  although  ruling  his  own 
vassals  with  arbitrary  power,  was  obliged  to  render  certain  service  to  the 
great  head  of  the  state,  being  analogous  to  the  principal  of  the  feudal 
system,  makes  it  unnecessary  for  us  to  explain  it  further  here.     If,  as  it 


CAVES  AT  CARRIG  TO  HILL. 


75 


has  been  conjectured,  these  intrenchments  were  the  rude  defences  of  the 
habitations  of  the  native  Irish,  it  is  extremely  probable  that  the  subter- 
ranean chambers  might  have  been  used  as  storehouses  for  the  provisions 
of  the  little  community ;  and  the  fact  that  the  entrances  to  these  under- 
ground chambers  have,  in  most  instances,  been  discovered  by  accident,  is 
only  a  further  proof  that  they  were  intended  as  places  adapted  for  con- 
cealment in  time  of  danger.  The  popular  tradition  amongst  the  peasantry 
is,  that  after  the  Danes  had  been  conquered  at  the  battle  of  Clontarf, 
they  constructed  these  forts  and  secret  chambers  to  escape  the  pursuit  of 
the  Irish ;  but  such  a  supposition  is  too  absurd  to  obtain  a  moment's 
belief,  as  it  is  evident  such  works  could  not  have  been  effected  by  a 
scattered  force,  flying  before  an  active  and  victorious  enemy.  If  the  Danes 
did  take  refuge  within  these  intrenchments,  it  must  be  concluded  that  they 
were  in  existence  for  ages  before  their  time. 

These  raths  have,  time  out  of  mind,  been  an  object  of  superstitious 
veneration  to  the  Irish  peasantry,  who  believe  that  the  mysterious  incis- 
ures are  the  abodes  of  the  fairies,  or  "  good  people  ; "  hence  it  is  that  few 
of  the  country  folk  will  approach  one  of  them  after  nightfall,  without  trem- 
bling, lest  they  should  incur  the  anger  of  the  irascible  pigmy  gentry  hy 
intruding  on  their  revels,  or  disturbing  their  moonlight  festivities.  And 
to  thq.  same  feeling  of  superstitious  awe  may  be  attributed  their  reluctance 
to  disturb,  by  the  operation  of  the  spade  or  axe,  these  interesting  relics 
of  antiquity,  which  may  be  frequently  seen  overgrown  with  aged  trees 
and  underwood  in  nature's  wild  simplicity.  Numerous  are  the  tales  related 
by  the  peasantry,  of  daring  individuals  who  have  watched  the  midnight 
revels  of  the  fairies  in  these  places,  which  for  long  ages  have  been  the 
favorite  haunts  of  the  tiny  race.  Children  of  mortals,  who  have  been 
stolen  by  the  "good  people,"  are,  it  is  believed,  conveyed  by  them  into 
these  raths,  on  which,  it  has  been  remarked,  the  verdure  is  always  greener 
and  brighter  than  on  any  of  the  neighboring  fields. 

We  have  however  neither  space  nor  time  to  allow  us  to  wander  within 
the  realms  of  fancy,  so  will  return  to  our  place,  on  the  bosom  of  the  Lee 
between  Dunkettle  and  Blackrock.  As  that  river  winds  round  the  point  of 
the  peninsula,  the  shores  recede  on  either  side,  and  the  stream  expands 
into  a  beautiful  sheet  of  water,  called  Lough  Mahon,  from  the  ancient  family 
of  the  Mahonys  having  formerly  held  large  possessions  in  its  vicinity,  as  well 


76 


QUEENSTOWN  AND  ITS  HARBOR. 


as  from  the  resemblance  it  bears  to  a  broad  lake  when  sailing  across  it. 
"The  whole,"  says  Mr.  Windele,  "seems  land-locked,  enclosed  on  several 
sides  by  high  hills,  and  on  others,  by  wooded  slopes  stretching  far  inland  to 
the  foot  of  other  chains  of  hills.  Turn  which  side  you  will,  the  scenery  is  of 
the  most  charming  description.  Looking  up  towards  the  city,  Blackrock 
Castle  stands  finely  out,  backed  by  woods  and  distant  hills.  The  wood- 
crowned  eminences  of  Lota  and  Dunkettle  appear  beside  it,  with  the  finest 
effect." 

As  we  passed  down  Lough  Mahon,  we  noticed  on  our  left,  at  the  south 
end  of  Little  Island,  a  branch  of  the  river  flowing  through  a  beautiful 
gorge  and  dividing  it  from  Foaty  Island  ;  on  the  latter  is  situated  Foaty 
House  and  grounds,  the  laying  out  of  which  shows  how  art,  guided  by 
excellent  taste,  can  transform  an  uninteresting  plot  of  land  into  a  charming 
demesne.  Continuing  our  course  we  were  brought  to  the  town  of  Passage, 
on  the  right  bank  of  the  river,  and  the  terminus  of  the  railway  traversing 
that  shore  of  the  Lee,  which  steamers  connect  with  Queenstown  by  a  sail 
of  half  an  hour.  Passage  is  also  the  unloading  place  for  vessels  plying  to 
British  ports,  the  river  being  so  shallow  as  to  prevent  craft  drawing  much 
water  from  proceeding  to  the  quays  of  Cork.  The  town,  too,  lays  some 
claim  to  being  a  watering-place.  It  is  situated  at  the  base  of  a  steep 
hill,  and  embosomed  in  woods  which  give  it  a  very  pleasing  effect  when 
viewed  from  the  river,  though  an  internal  inspection  reveals  streets  and 
lanes  that  can  neither  boast  of  breadth  nor  cleanliness.  Father  Prout  has 
written  of  it,  that 

"  The  town  of  Passage  is  both  large  and  spacious, 
And  situate  upon  the  say  ; 
'Tis  nate  and  dacent,  and  quite  adjacent 
To  come  from  Cork  on  a  summer's  day. 

"  There  you  may  slip  in  to  take  a  dipping, 

Forenent  the  shipping,  that  at  anchor  ride  ; 
Or  in  a  wherry  cross  o'er  the  ferry 
To  '  Carrigaloe,  on  the  other  side.' 

This  "  Carrigaloe  on  the  other  side "  is  a  bleak  hill  at  the  western 
extremity  of  Great  Island  ;  at  its  foot,  and  in  close  proximity  to  the  river, 
runs  the  direct  line  of  railway  from  Cork  to  Queenstown. 

An  extensive  view  of  the  river  and  the  surrounding  country  may  be 
obtained  from  the  summit  of  the  steep  hill  that  overhangs  Passage.  The 


THE   GIANTS  STAIRS  AND  MONKSTOWN. 


77 


ascent  is  somewhat  difficult,  but  the  toil  of  the  walk  is  amply  compensated 
by  the  delightful  prospect  thereby  obtained.  Hill  and  dale,  wood  and 
water,  noble  mansions  and  lowly  cottages,  green  fields  and  rugged  rocks  ; 
the  deep  blue  sea,  stretching  far  away  to  the  southward  in  immeasurable 
expanse  ;  the  silvery  Lee  beneath  the  feet,  winding  placidly  between  its 
picturesque  banks ;  beautiful  islands,  bays,  and  headlands,  momentarily 
arresting  the  attention,  and  appearing  to  compete  for  the  tribute  of 
admiration  ;  form  the  component  parts  of  the  varied  and  imposing  picture. 

Glenbrook,  half  a  mile  further  down  the  river,  is  a  pretty  bathing- 
village,  and  the  shore  from  thence  to  Monkstown,  a  mile  further  on,  is 
extremely  beautiful.  The  most  remarkable  features  of  this  spot  are 
immense  masses  of  rock  which  nature  has  piled  up  with  such  apparent 
regularity  as  to  present,  when  viewed  in  profile,  a  striking  resemblance  to 
a  succession  of  huge  steps,  from  whence  they  have  received  the  name  of 
"The  Giant's  Stairs."  Here,  as  is  customary,  tradition  has  been  busy; 
and  the  tales  of  the  peasantry  assign  to  a  powerful  giant,  called  Mahoon, 
the  construction  of  these  stupendous  steps.  They  implicitly  believe  that  he 
resides  in  a  cave  beneath  the  cliff,  and  gravely  relate  the  adventures  of 
persons  who  have  had  the  hardihood  to  enter  his  subterranean  abode.  These 
steps  were  originally  seven  in  number,  but  were  reduced  a  few  years  ago 
to  five,  upon  the  construction  of  a  new  road. 

Monkstown  is  a  pleasant  little  village,  delightfully  situated  in  the 
opening  of  a  lovely  glen.    Its  ancient  ruined  castle 

"Bosom'd  deep  in  tufted  trees," 

stands  in  a  commanding  situation  on  the  overhanging  hill.  It  is  a 
quadrangular  structure  flanked  by  square  towers,  and  was  erected  in  1636 
under  peculiar  circumstances,  which  led  to  its  cost  being  only  one  groat. 
During  the  absence  of  the  owner  of  the  demesne,  while  serving  in  the 
army  of  Philip  of  Spain,  his  wife  Anastasia  resolved  to  surprise  him  by 
building  a  stately  castle,  without  diminishing  his  funds.  To  accomplish 
this,  she  compelled  her  tenants  and  workmen  to  purchase  from  her  the 
necessaries  of  life,  at  an  advance  upon  the  prices  at  which  she  was  enabled 
to  buy  the  same  wholesale ;  and  when  the  edifice  was  completed,  and 
she  had  added  up  the  amounts  of  her  receipts  and  expenditures,  she  found 
the  latter  to  exceed  the  former  by  only  four  pence. 


78 


Q  UEENSTO  WN  AND  ITS  HARBOR. 


Leaving  Monkstown  the  steamer  rounded  a  point  of  land  and  placed 
before  our  vision  the  magnificent  harbor  of  Oueenstown,  with  the  town  of 
that  name  on  our  left,  and  the  western  and  southern  shore  on  our  right 
extending  from  Monkstown  to  the  mouth  of  the  harbor,  and  presenting  a  scene 
of  great  beauty — elegant  mansions,  cultivated  lawns,  woods,  and  green 
pastures,  stretching  down  to  the  water  side,  arrested  and  charmed  the  eye, 
while  the  broad  expanse  of  the  harbor  before  us,  encircled  by  undulating 
hills,  and  dotted  with  islands,  assumed  all  the  features  of  a  lake,  and 
completed  a  noble  picture. 

Ouefnstown  was  formerly  known  as  the  Cove  of  Cork,  and  received 
its  present  name  from  Queen  Victoria,  August  3d,  1849,  upon  the  occasion 
of  her  landing  there,  on  her  first  visit  to  that  part  of  her  dominions.  It 
is  the  principal  naval  station  in  Ireland,  and  is  delightfully  situated  on  the 
south  side  of  Great  Island,  which  skirts  the  north  of  the  harbor  and  is 
connected  with  the  main  land  by  bridges.  The  town  is  built  on  the  side 
of  a  hill  sloping  down  to  the  water's  edge,  and  has  an  attractive  appearance 
when  approached  by  steamboat,  presenting,  as  it  does,  its  whole  extent  to 
the  view.  It  can  boast  but  few  objects  of  antiquarian  interest,  having 
been  merely  an  insignificant  village  at  the  beginning  of  the  present  century. 
It  rose,  however,  into  importance  during  the  Napoleonic  war,  when  the 
harbor  was  made  a  rendezvous  station  for  the  British  navy  ;  and  its 
popularity  has  increased  in  later  years  from  its  having  become  a  prominent 
halting  place  for  ocean  steamers. 

But  the  town  owes  a  great  portion  of  its  success  to  the  mildness  oi 
its  climate  and  to  its  excellent  situation,  being  partially  open  to  the  sea 
on  the  south,  and  encompassed  on  every  other  side  by  high  hills,  which 
effectually  shelter  it  from  cold  winds.  This  happy  position,  and  the 
picturesque  beauty  of  its  environs,  have  for  a  long  period  made  it  a 
favorite  resort  for  numbers  of  invalids,  who,  remarks  Dr.  Scott,  the  author 
of  a  "  Medical  Topography  "  of  the  place,  "  would  otherwise  have  sought 
the  far  off  scenes  of  Montpelier  or  Madeira,  with  their  vehement  suns 
and  less  temperate  vicissitudes  of  climate.  The  many  recoveries  here,  have 
justified  the  selection,  and  proved  the  restorative  and  invigorating  principle 
of  its  atmosphere.  An  admirable  equability  of  climate,  and  an  absence  of 
sudden  and  violent  interruptions,  are  the  great  characteristics  which  have 
so  beneficially  marked  out  this  town  to  the  ailing  and  debilitated,  and 


ANCIENT  AND  MODERN  YACHTING. 


79 


established  its  reputation."  From  the  steepness  of  the  site  on  which  the 
town  is  built,  the  invalid  is  afforded  a  variety  of  climate,  tempered  to 
his  wishes,  and  attainable  according  to  the  elevation  of  the  different 
ascending  terraces  ;  and  for  all  purposes  of  exercise,  the  neighborhood 
abounds  with  exhilarating  walks  and  drives. 

But  it  is  not  to  the  valetudinarian  alone  that  this  spot  offers  attractions  ; 
its  proximity  to  Cork,  the  beauty  of  its  scenery,  and  its  favorable  situation 
for  sea-bathing  and  for  boating  and  sailing,  draw  a  great  influx  of  gay  and 
fashionable  visitors  here  during  the  summer  months.  The  "  Royal  Cork 
Yacht  Club "  whose  station  is  here,  is  the  oldest  of  its  kind  in  the 
United  Kingdom,  though  the  "  Royal  Yacht  Squadron  "  takes  precedence. 
It  owes  its  origin  to  the  "  Water  Club  of  the  Harbor  of  Cork,"  established 
in  the  year  1 720,  which  annually  proceeded  a  few  leagues  out  to  sea,  with 
a  ceremony  which  was,  says  an  ancient  writer,  "  somewhat  like  that  of  the 
Doge  of  Venice  wedding  the  sea."  Its  rules  and  orders  were  very  quaint, 
such  as  not  allowing  any  admiral  to  "  presume  to  bring  more  than  two 
dozen  of  wine  to  his  treat,"  it  being  deemed  a  "breach  of  the  ancient  rules 
and  constitutions  of  the  Club,  except  when  my  Lords  the  Judges  are 
invited  ;  "  or  to  "  bring  more  than  two  dishes  of  meat  for  the  entertain- 
ment of  the  Club ; "  or  that  the  members  should  wear  "  long-tail  wigs, 
large  sleeves,  or  ruffles  ; "  or  that,  unless  the  company  exceeded  fifteen, 
any  man  "  be  allowed  more  than  one  bottle  to  his  share,  and  a  perempt- 
ory." The  "  Royal  Cork  Yacht  Club  "  received  the  Admiralty  warrant  in 
1831,  to  fly  the  old  flag  of  1720,  with  a  "harp  and  crown  in  the  centre.." 
and  some  of  the  ancient  customs  of  the  "  Water  Club  "  are  still  retained. 
Its  club-house  is  adjoining  the  great  quay  at  Queenstown  ;  and  the  annual 
regatta  held  under  its  auspices,  is  one  of  the  most  attractive  in  Ireland. 
The  "Royal  Western  Yacht  Club  of  Ireland,"  established  in  1827,  and 
obtaining  its  Admiralty  warrant  in  1832,  has  also  a  club-house  here,  and 
holds  regattas. 

From  the  improvements  that  have  taken  place  in  Queenstown  in  late 
years,  it  bids  fair  to  increase  in  popularity  and  rank  high  as  a  place  of 
summer  resort.  The  quay  erected  to  the  west  of  the  town  by  Lord 
Middleton,  in  1848,  affords  a  splendid  promenade.  The  town  is  built  partly 
on  the  margin  of  the  shore,  and  partly,  as  we  have  observed,  on  the 
terraces  of  the  steep  hill  that  overhangs  the  harbor.      It  is  from  these 


80 


Q  UEENSTO  WN  AND  ITS  HARBOR. 


terraces  that  the  most  extensive  prospects  over  the  latter  may  be  obtained, 
and,  undoubtedly,  it  is  a  noble  sight  to  look  down  upon  the  broad  expanse 
of  that  land-locked  haven,  specked  with  yachts  and  pleasure  boats  and 
fortified  isles,  and  encompassed  by  lofty  hills  crowned  with  numerous  villas 
and  mansions  ;  and  should,  as  is  frequently  the  case,  some  ocean  steamers 
or  emigrant  ships  be  landing  or  embarking  their  living  freight,  or  a  fleet 
be  lying  at  anchor  under  the  shelter  of  the  land,  nothing  can  be  conceived 
more  lovely  and  magnificent  than  the  effect  of  the  coup  cPceil. 

The  island  on  which  Queenstown  is  situated,  extends  five  miles  from 
east  to  west,  and  two  from  north  to  south  ;  it  is  not  only  one  of  the  first 
places  mentioned  in  Irish  history,  but  it  is  recorded  to  have  been  steadfast 
in  its  loyalty,  as  it  maintained  its  independence  even  after  the  English  had 
possession  of  Cork  and  the  surrounding  country.  In  1329,  it  was  the 
property  of  Lord  Philip  Hodnet,  who  resided  at  Clonmel,  where  he  was 
besieged  by  the  united  forces  of  the  Barrys  and  Roches,  who  captured 
his  castle  and  put  all  his  adherents  to  the  sword.  The  Barrys  having 
thus  obtained  possession  of  the  property,  gave  it  the  name  of  Barrymore 
Island.  In  1666,  the  Earl  of  Orrery  described  it  as  being  very  fertile, 
and  looked  upon  it  as  a  place  of  such  importance  that,  he  said,  if  he 
were  an  enemy  about  to  invade  Ireland,  it  would  be  the  first  place  he 
would  endeavor  to  secure.  The  antiquities  now  found  upon  the  island 
are  the  remains  of  Belvelly  Castle,  built  by  the  Hodnets,  and  the  ruins 
of  Temple-robin  and  Clonmel  churches.  A  large  proportion  of  those 
interred  in  the  burying-ground  belonging  to  the  latter  are  strangers.  Many 
a  storm-tossed  mariner  lies  here,  who  has  struggled  with  death  upon  the 
ocean,  that  he  might  breathe  his  last  upon  the  land,  and  instead  of  the 
dark  billows  rolling  over  his  cold  remains,  have  the  bright  green  grass 
and  the  young  flowers  springing  from  his  grave.  Many  a  youthful 
victim  whom  fell  consumption  had  marked  for  its  prey,  but  who,  with 
self-deluding  hope,  sought  too  late  to  arrest  its  progress  in  this  mild  and 
genial  climate,  has  here  found  his  last  resting-place.  Here,  too,  reposes 
the  mortal  part  of  the  Rev.  Charles  Wolfe,  an  elegant  though  almost 
unknown  writer,  who,  in  1823,  at  the  early  age  of  thirty-two,  died  in  Cove, 
whither  he  had  removed  for  the  benefit  of  its  air.  He  was  the  author  01 
the  ode  on  the  "  Burial  of  Sir  John  Moore,"  commencing  "  Not  a  drum 
was  heard,"  which,  had  he  never  written  anything  else,  was  sufficient  to  stamp 


I  SLA  XV  S  AXD  DEFEXSIVE  WORKS. 


-I 


him  as  a  poet  of  the  highest  order.  Here  also,  in  an  undistinguished 
grave,  is  buried  Tobin.  the  author  of  several  dramatic  pieces,  the  best  known 
of  which  is  "The  Honeymoon."  who  died  in  the  harbor  on  his  passage  to 
the  West  Indies. 

Oueexstown  Harbor,  prominent  for  its  capacity  and  safety,  is  three 
miles  long  and  two  broad  ;  and  is  completely  landlocked,  and  capable  of 
sheltering-  the  entire  British  navv.  Its  entrance  is  bv  a  channel  two  miles 
in  length  and  one  in  breadth,  defended  by  forts  on  each  side,  and  by 
others  on  the  islands  in  the  interior.  Of  the  latter,  which  stand  between 
Queenstown  and  the  mouth  of  the  harbor.  Spike  Island  is  the  largest  and 
most  conspicuous.  It  faces  the  entrance,  and  acts  as  a  breakwater  to 
shelter  the  harbor  from  the  violence  of  the  southerly  winds  and  the 
strong  flood  tides.  It  is  also  happily  situated  for  its  defence,  and  has 
been  strongly  fortified  for  that  purpose ;  the  building  of  its  fortifications 
having  been  commenced  in  i  791,  under  the  superintendence  of  Colonel,  after- 
terwards  General  Vallancev,  who.  though  an  Englishman,  devoted  himself 
assiduously  to  the  investigation  of  the  early  literature  and  antiquities 
of  Ireland.  The  island  likewise  contains  a  large  convict  prison,  the 
inmates  of  which  are  employed  in  the  government  works  for  the  improve- 
ment and  protection  of  the  harbor.  Haulbowline.  a  small  rocky  islet  to 
the  west  of  Spike,  contains  the  naval  storehouses,  and  affords  the  same 
protection  to  the  vessels  in  the  harbor,  from  the  strong  ebb  tides,  that 
Spike  Island  does  from  the  flood.  Opposite  to  Haulbowline  lies  Rocky 
Island,  containing  a  powder  magazine  occupying  six  chambers  hewn  in 
the  rock,  where  10.000  barrels  of  powder  are  usually  stored.  At  the 
entrance  to  the  harbor  on  the  east  is  Roche's  Point — a  name  familiar  to 
the  readers  of  telegrams  announcing  the  safe  arrival  of  ocean  steamers — 
with  its  loftv  lighthouse  for  the  guidance  of  benighted  mariners. 

n  O  O  O 

In  the  southwest  corner  of  the  harbor  is  the  little  fishing  village 
of  Cross  Haven,  situated  at  the  mouth  of  the  Owenboy  or  Avenbuoy, 
in  English  signifying  the  Yellow  River,  from  the  color  of  its  waters, 
to  which  the  floods  caused  by  heavy  rains  give  a  muddy  yellow  tinge. 
Although  of  a  considerable  breadth,  this  stream  is  not  navigable  for 
any  great  distance  except  by  small  boats ;  within  its  mouth,  however, 
which  more  resembles,  and  is  sometimes  called,  a  creek,  there  is  good 
anchorage  for  vessels  of  considerable   burthen.      It  is  related  that  five 

H 


82 


QUEENSTOWN  AND  ITS  HARBOR. 


ships  of  war  under  the  command  of  Sir  Francis  Drake,  being  hotly  pur- 
sued by  the  Spanish  fleet,  ran  up  this  river  a  short  way  to  a  part  named 
Tubberavoid,  (the  well  of  safe  anchorage),  since  styled  Drake's  Pool, 
where  the  little  squadron  lay  land-locked  and  completely  concealed  from 
their  pursuers,  who  sailed  into  Cork  harbor,  but,  not  discovering  their  prey, 
gave  up  the  chase.  About  four  miles  from  the  river's  mouth,  lies  the 
village  of  Carrigaline,  which,  tradition  states,  the  first  Earl  of  Cork  intended 
should  rival  Cork  in  commerce,  and  had  actually  proceeded  so  far,  in 
his  gigantic  undertaking,  as  to  mark  out  the  ground  plan  of  an  extensive 
town ;  but  the  scheme,  which  originated  in  the  comparative  advantage  in 
distance  of  the  proposed  town  from  the  sea,  ended  with  the  life  of  its 
projector.  The  ancient  castle  of  Carrigaline  is  seated  on  an  immense  mass 
of  limestone  rock,  and  the  fortress  was  one  of  great  importance  during  the 
time  of  Elizabeth,  when  it  was  considered  impregnable. 

The  charming  scenery  which  surrounds  Queenstown  Harbor,  and  lines 
the  sides  of  the  watery  way  from  Cork  to  Roche's  Point,  has  called  forth 
the  praise  of  many  a  passing  traveler.  Arthur  Young,  the  celebrated 
agriculturist,  who  visited  Cork  about  a  century  ago,  when  the  shores  of  the 
river  had  received  little  improvement  from  the  hand  of  art,  considered 
the  country  surrounding  the  harbor  to  be  in  many  respects  preferable  to 
anything  he  had  seen  in  Ireland.  Inglis  bestows  on  the  scenery  the  full 
tribute  of  his  admiration  ;  and  Milner  says  that  "  neither  the  Severn  at 
Chepstow,  nor  the  sea  at  Southampton,  is  to  be  compared  to  it."  Another 
writer  adds,  that  "  no  part  of  the  scenery  is  barren  or  uninteresting ;  a 
perpetual  variety  is  presented  along  the  whole  course.  The  eye,  whilst 
lingering  over  some  happy  picture,  is  continually  attracted  by  some  new 
succession,  possessing  all  the  charms  of  the  most  romantic  landscape." 
While  Sir  John  Forbes  remarks,  "  It  would  be  difficult  to  overpraise  the 
beauty  of  the  river  from  Cork  to  Queenstown,  or  the  magnificent  harbor 
or  inland  bay  in  which  it  terminates,  more  especially  when  these  are  seen 
under  the  influence  of  a  bright  .sun  and  a  brilliant  sky.  Indeed,  every 
element  of  beauty  that  can  mingle  in  such  a  scene  seems  to  be  here  com- 
prised ;  we  had  a  stream  ever  varying  in  its  course  and  outline,  of  ample 
breadth,  yet  not  too  broad  to  prevent  distinct  recognition  of  the  objects 
on  its  banks ;  water  of  a  color  and  purity  like  the  sea,  lofty  barriers  on 
either  side,  covered  with  rich  woods  and  intermingled  with  green  park-like 


ROSTELLAN  CASTLE   AND   CASTLE  MARY.  83 

fields  and  shining  villas;  here  and  there  white  villages  on  level  patches 
of  shore ;  and  the  whole  animated  and,  as  it  were,  humanized,  by  the 
peopled  steamers  sweeping  up  and  down,  the  boats  and  yachts  sailing  or 
pulling  about,  and  a  ship  or  two  at  anchor,  decked  out  in  their  national 
flags,  in  every  bay  that  opened  out  upon  us  as  we  pursued  our  course." 

Desirous  of  visiting  the  ancient  cathedral  city  of  Cloyne,  we  took  a 
boat  from  Oueenstown  to  Aghada,  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  harbor  and 
about  half  a  dozen  miles  distant  from  our  place  of  destination.  Adjacent 
to  Aghada  is  Rostellan  Castle,  delightfully  situated  on  a  wooded  promon- 
tory, commanding  an  exceedingly  fine  view  of  the  grand  and  animated 
harbor  with  its  beautiful  shores.  The  demesne  is  rich  in  luxuriant 
beauty,  and  the  judicious  manner  in  which  the  grounds  are  laid  out 
speaks  highly  for  the  elegant  taste  of  the  owner.  The  property  con- 
tains an  ancient  cromlech  on  the  shore  of  Saleen  Creek.  The  present 
mansion  is  a  modern  erection,  built  on  the  site  of  an  old  castle  of  the 
Fitzgeralds,  Seneschals  of  Imokilly.  An  ancient  sword,  said  to  have  been 
once  wielded  by  Brian  Boroihme,  the  great  ancestor  of  the  O'Briens,  and 
the  monarch  who  defeated  the  Danes  at  the  memorable  battle  of  Clontarf, 
is  preserved  in  a  small  armory  of  the  castle,  and  shown  to  strangers  as  a 
genuine  relic ;  for  Rostellan  Castle  was  until  lately  the  seat  of  the  O'Briens, 
Marquesses  of  Thomond.  On  the  decease  of  the  last  marquis  in  1855,  all 
the  family  titles  became  extinct,  with  the  exception  of  the  Irish  Barony  of 
Inchiquin,  which  descended  to  his  kinsman,  Sir  Lucius  O'Brien,  Bart.,  who 
became  Lord  Inchiquin. 

Our  road  to  Cloyne  took  us  through  the  sweetly  secluded  little  hamlet 
of  Saleen,  half  hidden  amidst  clustering  hawthorns,  and  presenting  such  a 
picture  of  quiet  pastoral  beauty,  that  one  might  easily  imagine  Goldsmith 
had  it  in  his  mind  when  describing  the  beauties  of  the  "  Deserted 
Village  " — 

"  Where  smiling  Spring  her  earliest  visits  paid, 
And  parting  Summer's  ling'ring  bloom  delayed." 

The  house  and  demesne  of  Castle  Mary,*  contiguous  to  the  village, 
form  a  prominent  feature  in  the  landscape  ;  but  the  chief  interest  which 
attaches  to  this  spot   is  the   existence   of  a  huge  cromlech  or  Druidical 

*  Castle  Mary  was  formerly  called  Carrig  Cotta,  supposed  to  be  a  corruption  of  Carrig  Croith,  or  the  Rock 
of  the  Sun,  from  the  adjoining  cromlech  or  Druidical  altar. 


84 


Q  UEENSTO  WN  AND  ITS  HARBOR. 


altar,  standing  in  a  field  at  a  short  distance  from  the  house.  It  is  an 
immense  mass  of  limestone  of  an  oblong  shape,  one  end  resting  on  the 
ground,  and  the  other  extremity  supported  by  two  large  upright  stones. 
The  length  of  the  incumbent  stone  is  about  fifteen  feet,  its  breadth 
between  seven  and  eight  feet,  and  its  thickness  three  and  a  half  feet. 
Adjoining  this  great  altar  is  a  smaller  one  of  a  triangular  shape,  and,  like 
the  other,  it  is  supported  by  two  uprights  in  an  inclined  position.  It 
is  supposed  that  this  lesser  stone  was  used  for  the  purposes  of  common 
sacrifice,  while  the  greater  altar  was  probably  reserved  for  occasions  of 
extraordinary  solemnity.  The  incumbent  stone  or  slab  of  the  cromlechs  is 
sustained  in  some  cases  by  rows  of  upright  pillars  ;  in  other  instances  the 
table  is  supported  by  two  or  more  large  cone-shaped  rocks,  but  on  none 
of  the  stones  used  in  the  construction  of  these  altars  can  the  mark  of  any 
tool  be  discovered.*  Numerous  other  cromlechs  are  known  to  exist  in  the 
county  of  Cork  (Mr.  Windele  states  that  there  are  as  many  as  twenty- 
four),  but  the  description  of  this  one  may  suffice  to  give  an  idea  of  all 
the  others.  There  is  a  tradition  that  nothing  will  grow  under  these  altars  ; 
an  opinion  that  originates  from  the  total  absence  of  vendure,  incident  to 
a  want  of  sufficient  light  and  air. 

Cloyne,  distant  about  a  mile  from  Castle  Mary,  is  pleasantly  situated 
on  a  gentle  eminence  that  rises  from  the  southern  vale  of  Imokilly.  It  was 
formerly  the  seat  of  the  bishop  of  the  diocese  of  that  name ;  but  now, 
shorn  of  the  honors  of  an  episcopal  residence,  it  has  little  besides  its 
antiquarian  interest  to  invite  the  attention  of  the  traveler.f  The  ancient 
name  of  the  place  was  Cluaine-uamhach,  or  "  the  retreat  of  the  caves," — 
the  propriety  of  the  designation  being  evident  from  the  numerous  caves 
of  great  extent  which  exist  in  the  neighborhood.    One  very  considerable 

*  Like  the  gobhlans  or  pillar-stones,  so  frequently  found  in  Ireland,  the  cromlech  owes  its  origin  to  the 
idolatrous  system  of  worship  which,  there  is  every  reason  to  suppose,  pervaded  a  great  portion  of  the  world  before 
the  existence  of  profane  history  ;  in  its  appearance,  however,  the  cromlech  is  totally  different  from  the  pillar-stone. 
The  Irish  and  British  word,  crom-kach,  which  signifies  a  crooked  or  bent  stone,  it  is  supposed,  was  applied  to  those 
rude  altars  from  their  inclining  position  ;  although  it  is  equally  probable  that  they  derived  their  name  from  being 
the  stones  on  which  sacrifices  to  the  god  Crom  were  offered.  An  ingenious  conjecture  has  been  advanced,  that  they 
were  placed  in  an  inclined  position  to  allow  the  blood  of  the  victims  slain  upon  them  to  run  off  freely. 

f  Cloyne  was  once  the  residence  of  the  Fitzgeralds,  Seneschals  of  Imokilly,  and  it  is  recorded  that  a  skirmish 
took  place  near  the  town  between  the  Seneschal  and  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  in  which  the  latter  acquitted  himself 
with  extraordinary  gallantry.  In  the  north  transept  is  an  altar-tomb  belonging  to  those  Fitzgeralds,  in  which  are 
some  fragments  of  a  mailed  figure,  that  probably  was  once  attached  to  it. 


CAVES  AND   CATHEDRAL   OE  CLOYNE. 


85 


and  interesting  cavern  may  be  seen  in  a  part  of  the  episcopal  demesne, 
called  the  Rock  Meadow.* 

The  bishopric  of  Cloyne  was  founded  in  the  sixth  century  by  St. 
Coleman,  a  disciple  of  St.  Finn  Barr,  the  Bishop  of  Cork.f  The  ancient 
Cathedral  is  a  small,  low  building,  of  an  exceedingly  plain  and  simple 
style  of  architecture,  that  refers  its  erection  to  a  very  early  period  ;  never- 
theless, modern  innovations  have  disfigured  the  character  of  some  parts 
of  the  building,  and  the  repairs  bestowed  upon  it  have  been  executed  with 
as  little  regard  to  taste  or  propriety  as  the  patches  upon  a  beggar's 
cloak.  The  reconstruction  of  the  choir,  in  1776,  under  the  direction  of 
Bishop  Agar,  offers  a  striking  evidence  of  this  fact,  in  the  absurd  way  in 
which  light  Italian  ornaments  have  been  blended  with  the  more  austere 
lineaments  of  the  edifice.  The  building  is  cruciform,  consisting  of  a  nave, 
choir,  and  north  and  south  transepts  ;  but  the  tower,  if  it  ever  possessed 
one,  has  entirely  disappeared.  Within  the  adjoining  churchyard,  which  is 
surrounded  by  numerous  venerable  trees,  that  give  to  it  a  solemn  and 
secluded  aspect,  are  the  remains  of  a  small  building,  called  by  some  "  The 
Firehouse,"  by  others,  St.  Coleman's  Chapel.  It  is  evidently  of  great 
antiquity,  and  tradition  asserts  that  the  bones  of  that  holy  man  were 
preserved  there  until  the  beginning  of  the  last  century,  when  a  bishop  of 

*  Mr.  Crofton  Croker  has  given  us  an  account  of  a  visit  he  made  to  one  of  these  caves,  at  Carrigacrump. 
Shortly  after  entering,  he  found  himself  in  a  chamber  of  considerable  size,  the  roof  of  which  seemed  supported 
by  a  ponderous  stalactical  pillar,  on  a  base  proportionately  massive,  ornamented  with  clustering  knobs  of  small 
stalactites  that  hung  over  each  other  like  hands  with  the  fingers  spread  out.  Above,  appeared  gloomy  galleries 
with  entrances  resembling  rich  Gothic  archways ;  but,  being  without  the  means  of  ascent,  he  was  unable  to 
explore  any  of  them.  His  guide  having,  for  the  sake  of  effect,  placed  his  light  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
central  pillar,  so  as  to  leave  the  spectator  in  darkness  while  illuminating  half  the  chamber,  it  caused  a  projecting 
point  of  rock  to  assume  without  much  effort  of  fancy  the  appearance  of  a  colossal  figure  in  repose,  leaning  on  a 
club,  that,  he  poetically  remarks,  might  seem  to  the  vivid  imagination  the  genius  of  the  cave  slumbering  -in  his 
favorite  grotto  of  spar.  A  story  is  related,  but  with  slight  claims  to  belief,  of  a  trumpeter,  belonging  to  a 
dragoon  regiment  quartered  in  Cloyne,  being  left  behind  by  a  party  of  his  comrades,  with  whom  he  had  entered 
one  of  the  passages  in  the  Bishop's  Meadow,  and  the  next  morning  surprising  the  laborers  in  Carrigacrump 
quarry,  (whence  the  stone  principally  used  in  building  the  custom  house  and  quays  at  Cork  was  obtained),  by 
the  sound  of  his  bugle  issuing  from  the  crevices  of  the  rock,  to  which  sound  he  was  indebted  for  his 
preservation,  as  they  immediately  extricated  him,  he  having  traveled  in  his  subterranean  journey  about  a 
miie  in  a  direct  line. 

f  The  see  of  Cloyne  was  united  to  that  of  Cork  in  1490.  In  the  Protestant  Hierarchy  the  see  of  Ross  was 
added  to  these  in  1586  ;  and  that  of  Cloyne  was  afterwards  separated  in  1638,  but  by  an  act  of  Parliament 
of  1833  was  permanently  re-united  to  the  diocese  of  Cork  and  Ross,  on  the  death  of  its  bishop  which  took 
place  in  1835.  In  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  Cloyne  and  Ross  are  suffragan  sees,  the  Bishop  of  the  formei 
residing  at  Queenstown,  and  that  of  the  latter  at  Skibbereen. 


86 


Q  UEENSTO  WN  AND  ITS  HARBOR. 


Cloyne  caused  them  to  be  removed,  and  the  building  to  be  nearly  levelled 
to  the  ground. 

The  episcopal  residence,  at  the  east  end  of  the  village,  is  a  spacious  but 
irregular  building,  having  been  improved  and  altered  according  to  the 
different  tastes  of  the  prelates  who  occupied  it.  In  this  house  the 
celebrated  Doctor  Berkeley,  a  man  illustrious  for  his  learning,  but  more 
illustrious  for  his  virtues,  passed  many  years  of  his  life,  dividing  his  time 
between  his  pastoral  duties,  his  garden,  and  his  books ;  and  endearing 
himself  to  his  flock  by  his  gentle  manners,  and  his  earnest  endeavors  to 
promote  the  prosperity  of  the  little  city.* 

A  monastery  was  founded  at  Cloyne  in  the  year  707,  around  which 
the  town  gradually  grew  up  ;  the  reputation  of  the  monks  for  learning  and 
piety  attracting  crowds  of  scholars  and  devotees  to  the  place  ;  but  of  the 
monastery  or  of  an  hospital,  erected  in  1320,  not  a  vestige  now  remains. 

At  a  short  distance  from  the  cathedral  towards  the  west,  stands  one  of 
the  most  remarkable  specimens  of  the  ancient  Turaghans  or  Round  Towers 
of  Ireland.  The  original  height  of  the  tower  was  ninety-two  feet,  but  the 
conical  roof  having  been  demolished  by  lightning, f  an  embattlement  was 
placed  round  the  top,  which  has  increased  the  height  to  one  hundred  and 
two  feet.  It  is  divided  into  six  stories,  the  first  of  which  is  eleven  and  a 
half  feet  from  the  ground,  at  which  height  the  door  of  the  tower  is 
placed.    The  distance  of  each  floor  from  the  other  is  also  eleven  and  a 

*  Bishop  Berkeley,  the  ideal  philosopher,  held  the  see  in  the  time  of  George  II.  He  was  born  at  Kilcrin,  in 
the  county  of  Kilkenny,  in  1684,  and  was  a  school-mate  of  Swift.  He  afterwards  obtained  a  fellowship  in  Trinity 
College,  Dublin,  became  chaplain  to  the  Earl  of  Peterborough  on  his  embassy  to  Italy,  and  was  appointed,  in  1724, 
to  the  deanery  of  Derry.  In  anticipation  of  the  happy  results  of  a  scheme  for  establishing  a  college  in  the 
Bermudas,  for  the  purpose  of  training  pastors  for  the  colonial  churches  and  missionaries  to  the  American  Indians, 
he  wrote  his  well-known  stanzas,  in  which  occurs  the  oft-quoted  line : 

"Westward  the  course  of  empire  takes  its  way." 

In  1729  he  settled  in  Rhode  Island,  where  he  purchased  land  and  built  a  house  ;  but,  his  collegiate  scheme  failing, 
after  a  residence  there  of  two  and  a  half  years,  he  presented  his  library  and  estate  to  Yale  College,  and  returned  to 
Ireland.  In  1734  he  received,  as  a  special  mark  of  favor  from  Queen  Caroline,  the  bishopric  of  Cloyne,  which  he 
held  for  twenty  years,  and  died  at  Oxford  in  1753.  Towards  the  close  of  his  life  he  became  subject  to  hypochon- 
dria, which  led  him  not  only  to  imbibe  tar-water  in  considerable  quantities,  but  to  strongly  recommend  it  to  his 
friends,  and  write  a  treatise  commending  its  virtues. 

\  Dr.  Smith,  in  his  "  History  of  Cork,"  relates  that  on  the  night  of  the  10th  of  January,  1794,  a  flash 
of  lightning  struck  the  tower,  rent  the  conical  top,  tumbled  down  the  bell  and  three  lofts,  forced  its  way  through 
one  side  of  the  building,  and  drove  the  stones  which  were  admirably  well  joined  and  locked  into  each  other, 
through  the  roof  of  an  adjoining  stable. 


REMARKS  ON  ROUND  TOWERS. 


87 


half  feet.  The  tower  is  built  on  a  limestone  rock ;  but,  with  a  strange 
disregard  for  that  material,  of  which  there  is  abundance  on  the  spot,  the 
stones  which  compose  the  tower  have  been  brought  from  some  distant 
quarry — a  singularity  which  is  observable  in  many  of  the  Druidic  remains 
in  both  England  and  Ireland.  The  tower  is  now  used  as  a  belfry,  and 
the  name  by  which  it  is  known  among  the  peasantry  is  Clogach-Cliiina, 
or,  the  House  of  the  bell  of  Cloy ne. 

The  existence  of  these  Pillar-towers  is  one  of  the  most  extraordinary 
circumstances  connected  with  the  history  of  Ireland;  and  notwithstanding 
all  that  has  been  written  about  them,  and  the  innumerable  conjectures 
which  have  been  advanced  on  their  origin  and  use,  the  question  still 
remains  unsolved.  The  writers  who  have  discussed  the  subject  have  been, 
no  doubt,  fully  satished  each  in  his  own  mind  of  the  soundness  of  his 
own  conclusions  on  the  point — each  is  convinced  that  he  has  solved  the 
riddle ;  but  those  who  read  and  think,  without  the  bias  occasioned  by 
a  predisposition  to  a  favorite  hypothesis,  must  still  remain  in  doubt.  It 
might  have  been  expected  that  our  extended  geographical  knowledge  and 
antiquarian  research  would  have  detected,  in  some  region  or  other, 
buildings  of  a  similar  description  ;  but  nothing  has  been  discovered  that 
could  justify  the  inquirer  in  connecting  the  state  of  society  in  any  other 
part  of.  the  world,  with  that  which  existed  in  Ireland  at  the  time  these 
singular  edifices  were  constructed  ;  nor  has  much  light  been  thrown  upon 
the  subject  since  it  first  became  one  of  philosophical  investigation.  Never- 
theless, as  objects  peculiar  to  Ireland,  we  may  be  permitted  to  offer  here 
a  few  comprehensive  remarks  with  reference  to  the  opinions  of  various 
writers,  concerning  the  date  of  the  erection  and  intended  use  of  these 
remarkable  structures. 

The  main  facts  connected  with  them  are  as  follows  : — They  are  of  a 
date  beyond  all  traces  of  history  or  tradition ;  no  record  in  existence 
notices  the  foundation  of  any  one  of  them.*  They  were  built  at  a  time 
when  the  art  of  architecture  must  have  been  in  a  very  improved  state. 
"A  striking  perfection  observable  in  their  construction,  is  the  inimitable 
perpendicular  invariably  maintained.  No  architect  of  the  present  day 
could  observe  such  regularity.  Nelson's  Pillar,  Dublin,  has  been  proved 
to  vary  somewhat  from  the  perpendicular  line  ;  but  the  keenest  eye  cannot 

*  When  Cambrensis  wrote  in  the  twelfth  century,  there  was  no  tradition  extant  respecting  their  origin. 


88 


QUEENS  TOWN  AND  ITS  HARBOR. 


trace  a  deviation,  in  a  single  instance,  amongst  the  whole  of  the  Sabaean 
monuments.  Even  the  tower  of  Kilmacduagh,  one  of  the  largest  in  the 
kingdom,  having  from  some  accident  been  forced  to  lean  considerably  on 
one  side,  yet  retains  its  stability  as  firm  as  before,  such  was  the  accuracy 
of  its  original  elevation  ;  while  the  cement  employed  in  giving  it  solidity, 
and  which  is  the  direct  counterpart  of  the  Indian  chtmam,  bids  defiance 
to  the  efforts  of  man  to  dissever,  except  by  the  exertion  of  extraordinary 
power."*  These  facts  prove  a  highly  advanced  state  of  architectural 
knowledge.  The  number  of  the  buildings  is  not  less  remarkable.  Upwards 
of  ninety  have  been  ascertained  either  as  now  existing,  or  known  at  a 
period  within  historical  memory.  Their  situation  is  also  another  marked 
peculiarity.  They  are  generally  found  in  low  and  sheltered  spots,  seldom 
upon  places  of  great  elevation  ;  and  are,  with  few  exceptions,  in  the  imme- 
diate vicinity  of  some  ecclesiastical  building. 

The  existing  towers  have  frequently  suffered  injury ;  but  their  altitude, 
in  their  present  condition,  varies  from  twenty-five  to  one  hundred  and 
thirty-three  feet.  Their  usual  circumference,  near  the  base,  is  from  forty  to 
fifty  feet.  They  frequently,  but  not  uniformly,  spring  from  a  projecting 
plinth,  and  diminish  gradually  as  they  ascend.  In  some  remaining  towers 
the  roof  is  of  a  conical  shape,  and  there  is  every  reason  to  conclude  that 
this  was  originally  the  shape  of  all.  Battlements  now  crown  the  summit 
of  several  of  them,  but  appear  to  have  been  added  long  after  the  erection 
of  other  parts  of  the  structure.  The  doorway  is  raised  to  the  height  of 
several  feet,  generally  from  ten  to  twenty,  above  the  level  of  the  ground. 
There  are  seldom  any  apertures  for  admitting  light,  except  near  the 
summit,  where  four  small  windows,  pointing  to  the  cardinal  points,  are  to 
be  seen  in  some.  Both  doors  and  windows  are  in  general  oblong  open- 
ings, of  less  breadth  at  the  top  than  at  the  bottom — a  feature  character- 
istic of  the  old  Pelasgic  and  Egyptian  styles  of  architecture.  Arched 
windows,  with  carved  mouldings  and  sculptured  decorations,  are  sometimes 
to  be  met  with  ;  but  these  deviations  from  the  general  mode  of  building 
may,  with  great  probability,  be  ascribed  to  the  early  Christian  priests,  who 
converted  them  to  the  purposes  of  Christianity — for,  as  we  may  here 
observe,  it  was  the  policy  of  the  Christian  missionaries  not  so  much  to 
impair  the  reverence  which  the  people  entertained  for  their  ancient  places 

*  O'Brien's  "Round  Towers  of  Ireland,"  p.  515. 


SIGNIFICANCE  OF  ROUND  TOWERS. 


89 


of  worship,  as  to  change  the  object  of  their  adoration  from  a  false  to  a 
true  God.  There  are  no  traces  of  stairs  in  any  of  these  towers,  yet  the 
interiors  have  in  many  instances  projections  at  different  heights,  suggesting 
rests  for  flooring-joists.  These  Pillar-towers  are  almost  exclusively  con- 
fined to  Ireland.  Two  have  been  met  with  in  Scotland,*  but  it  is  easy  to 
imagine  that  the  prevalent  taste  for  such  buildings  in  Ireland,  would  lead 
to  their  imitation  in  one  or  two  instances  in  a  country  so  near,  and 
inhabited  by  descendants  of  the  same  race.  A  few  buildings  somewhat 
resembling  them — that  is,  long,  narrow  towers — have  been  seen  in  the 
eastern  countries,  but  none  of  them  are  of  the  construction  which  an 
observer  acquainted  with  those  in  Ireland  would  pronounce  at  once,  and 
without  hesitation,  to  be  a  Tnraghan\  or  Pillar-tower. 

Such  are  the  leading  facts  connected  with  them  :  the  conjectures  on 
their  use  are  equally  numerous  and  vague.  Some  have  pronounced  them 
to  have  been  the  residences  of  hermits,  like  the  Stylites  %  of  the  eastern 
countries,  who  spent  their  lives  on  the  tops  of  elevated  pillars ;  but  history 
affords  no  grounds  on  which  to  rest  the  opinion.  If  such  had  been  their 
use,  the  names  of  several  of  the  inmates  of  the  buildings,  in  whose 
construction  so  much  expense  and  ingenuity  had  been  employed,  could 
not  have  passed  away  unnoticed.  Others  have  supposed  them  to  have 
been  Danish  watch  or  signal-towers  ;  but  the  situation  of  some  of  them, 
in  low  and  sheltered  places,  contradicts  the  supposition.  They  are  also 
asserted  to  have  been  belfries ;  but  it  is  apparent  that  their  application 
to  such  a  purpose  must  have  been  long  subsequent  to  their  erection,  and 
only  in  a  few  instances,  as  the  greater  number  of  perfect  towers  now 
remaining  exhibit  no  traces  of  the  insertion  of  beams  in  the  masonry  for 
the  suspension  of  a  bell.  In  addition,  the  silence  of  history,  as  to  the 
period  of  their  erection,  furnishes  undeniable  negative  evidence  to  the 
opinion  that  they  were  originally  built  in  the  early  ages  of  Christianity, 

*  One  is  situated  at  Brechin,  the  other  at  Abernethy. 

f  The  name  Tur-agkan,  literally  the  "  tower  of  fire,"  warrants  the  supposition  that  these  pillars  were  connected 
with  the  ancient  worship  of  fire.  The  word  agh,  signifying  "  fire  "  in  the  Irish  language,  is  frequently  compounded 
in  the  names  of  places  in  whose  vicinity  traces  of  Druidic  structures  may  be  discovered — as  Aghadoe,  "  the  field  of 
fire,"  where  there  stands  one  of  these  towers. 

\  Mr.  Harris  assumes  that  the  Round  Towers  were  erected  for  the  reception  of  the  anchorite  monks  termed 
Stylites,  from  the  practice  of  living  in  a  pillar.  Simeon,  an  enthusiast  of  the  fourth  century,  was  the  first  who 
adopted  this  singular  mode  of  penance. 


90 


Q  UEENSTO  WN  AND  ITS  HARBOR. 


for  any  ecclesiastical  purpose ;  while,  on  the  contrary,  the  founding  of 
cathedrals,  churches,  abbeys,  hospitals,  and  even  belfries,  is  carefully  noted. 
They  may,  it  is  true,  have  been  applied  to  ecclesiastical  uses  by  those 
who  introduced  Christianity  into  Ireland,  or  by  some  of  their  successors, 
yet  there  are  no  data  for  assuming  such  to  have  been  the  object  of  their 
foundation. 

The  want  of  a  satisfactory  solution  to  this  question,  involving  so  much 
of  the  ancient  history  of  Ireland,  has  not  arisen  from  neglect.  It  has,  in 
fact,  been  often  and  laboriously  mooted,  and  much  learning  and  research 
have  been  brought  to  bear  upon  it ;  indeed,  no  writer  would  presume  to 
treat  of  the  ancient  monuments  of  Ireland  without  taking  cognizance  of 
these  great  indexes  to  the  antiquity  of  its  national  civilization.  Every 
writer,  therefore,  from  Cambrensis  downwards,  has  noted  them  more  or 
less  largely,  and  most  have  hazarded  a  theory  upon  them.  Some  years  ago, 
the  Royal  Irish  Academy  offered  a  gold  medal  as  a  prize  for  the  best  essay 
upon  the  subject.  This  drew  forth  two  candidates,  Mr.  O'Brien,  a  learned 
and  enthusiastic  young  writer,  and  Mr.  George  Petrie,  a  gentleman 
distinguished  as  an  artist  and  as  a  cautious  inquirer  into  the  antiquities 
of  his  native  country,  and  to  whose  essay  the  Academy  awarded  the  prize. 
Mr.  Petrie,  in  his  paper,  contends  for  the  Christian  origin  of  the  Round 
Towers,  to  which  he  does  not  assign  an  earlier  date  than  the  sixth 
century,  founding  his  opinion  upon  the  similarity  of  their  architectural 
style  with  some  authentic  monuments  of  ecclesiastical  construction,  and 
also  upon  the  sculptures  found  on  several  of  them,  which  he  insists  were 
executed  at  the  time  of  their  being  built.  He  also  makes  the  period  of 
their  erection  subsequent  to  the  introduction  of  Christianity  into  Ireland. 
Mr.  O'Brien,  on  the  contrary,  supports  the  opinion  that  they  were  erected 
in  the  remote  ages  of  Paganism.  His  theory  supposes  that  all  the  various 
theological  systems,  which  have  divided  the  world  up  to  the  present  time, 
are  founded  upon  an  allegory  ;  and  that  the  Pillar-towers  are  an  emblem 
of  that  allegory — multiplied  personifications  of  the  great  object  of  worship, 
which  has  led  away  the  bulk  of  mankind  from  the  spiritual  worship  of  the 
invisible  God.  It  is  not  very  easy,  and  still  less  desirable,  to  convey  a 
palpable  idea  of  the  theory  of  this  very  learned,  very  ingenious,  and  very 
visionary  writer ;  but  it  will  suffice  to  say  that  he  believes  he  has  discov- 
ered an  identity  in  the  form  of  the  towers  to  the  Hindoo  Lingam,  and 


IDOLATROUS  USES  OF  ROUXD  TOWERS. 


91 


that  their  use  "  was  that  of  a  cupboard,"  to  hold  those  figures  sacred  to 
the  Indo-Irish  Budha.  Mr.  Windele,  who  has  devoted  much  attention  to 
the  subject,  rather  coincides  with  Mr.  O'Brien's  opinion.  He  says  the 
Irish  names  of  these  towers  "are  of  themselves  conclusive,  and  announce 
at  once  a  fane  devoted  to  that  form  of  religion,  compounded  of  Sabaeism 
or  star-worship,  and  Budhism, — of  which  the  sun,  represented  by  fire,  was 
the  principal  deity  in  all  the  kindred  mythologies  of  Persia,  India,  Phoeni- 
cia, Phrygia,  Samothrace,  and  Ireland.  This  idolatry  in  many  respects 
differed  from  that  of  Gaul  and  Britain.  Zoroaster  was  its  great  reformer 
in  Persia,  and  the  reformation  seems  to  have  been  accepted  in  Ireland." 

It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  there  are  a  few  Round  Towers  in  England, 
chiefly  in  Norfolk  and  Suffolk,  where  they  are  attached  to  old  churches  ; 
and  a  faint  similarity  of  these  to  the  Pillar-towers  of  Ireland  has  caused 
Ledwick,  and  other  antiquarians,  to  believe  that  they  were  all  identical  in 
character,  and  of  ecclesiastical  origin.  A  very  slight  inspection  will,  however, 
convince  any  person  that  these  English  towers,  which  are  uniformly  con- 
structed in  a  rude  manner,  and  composed  of  flints,  rough  stones,  chalk,  and 
other  coarse  ingredients  imbedded  in  mortar,  are  extremely  unlike  the  well- 
executed  Pillar-towers  of  Ireland.  An  opinion,  which  bears  with  it  some 
show  of  probability,  has  been  advanced,  that  these  pillars  were  monuments 
erected  over  the  graves  of  celebrated  kings,  priests,  or  heroes.  Such  a 
belief  would  certainly  not  be  at  variance  with  the  character  of  the  Irish 
towers,  for  human  bones  have  been  found  interred  beneath  one  at  Ram 
Island,  in  Antrim;  and  similar  relics,  which  had  undergone  the  process  of 
burning,  have  also  been  discovered  under  the  tower  at  Timahoe.  When 
we  behold  the  stupendous  pyramids  of  Egypt,  which  were  doubtless 
intended  only  as  sepulchres  for  the  dead,  we  need  not  feel  any  great 
surprise  if  these  aspiring  pillars  of  Ireland  should  have  been  devoted  to 
the  same  monumental  purpose.  But  we  must  here  dismiss  this  interesting 
and  perplexing  inquiry,  with  but  faint  hopes  that  future  researches  will 
ever  lead  to  a  solution  of  the  enigma  that  has  puzzled  so  many  anti- 
quarians. 


BOSTON  COLLEGE  LIBIUK* 
CHESTNUT  HILL,  A1.AS3. 


92 


ALONG  THE  SOUTH-EASTERN  SHORE. 


CHAPTER  V. 

ALONG  THE  SOUTH-EASTERN  SHORE. 

Youghal  and  its  Collegiate  Church — Residence  of  Sir  Walter  Raleigh — Introduction  of  Potatoes 
into  Ireland — Valley  of  the  Blackwater — Dromana  and  the  Desmonds — Listnore  and  its 
Castle — Dungarvan — Tramore  Bay — Dunbrody  Abbey — Harbor  and  City  of  Waterford — 
Cathedral  and  Reginald's  Tower — Villages  on  the  Coast — Saltee  Islands — Discovery  of 
Refugees — Harbor  and  Town  of  Wexford — Baronies  of  Forth  and  Bargy  and  their 
Peculiarities. 

DECIDEDLY  the  best  and  most  delightful  manner  of  viewing  the 
bays,  inlets,  headlands,  and  the  coast-scenery  of  a  country,  is  from 
the  deck  of  one  of  the  numerous  pleasure  yachts  in  which  men  of 
combined  wealth  and  culture  now  so  greatly  delight  to  while  away  the 
live-long  summer-day.  This  asseveration  is,  however,  merely  pertinent  to 
those  persons  who  are  strangers  to  the  peculiar  qualms  that  compel 
some  amateur  voyagers  to  cast  their  bread  upon  the  waters,  but  cer- 
tainly without  any  desire  that  it  should  return  to  them  after  many 
days.  The  harbor  of  Oueenstown,  we  have  stated,  is  the  great  rendez- 
vous for  yachts  in  the  south  of  Ireland.  Our  inward  man  being,  we 
are  happy  to  say,  unaffected  by  the  caperings  of  such  frisky  craft  and 
their  coquettings  with  the  foam-capped  waves,  we  found  a  cruise  from 
this  port  a  favorable  opportunity  wherein  to  take  a  glance  at  several 
of  those  noble  havens  which  indent  the  coast  of  Ireland ;  and,  as  a 
portion  of  the  beauties  of  the  country  lie  on  the  sea-board,  and  in 
the  numerous  and  picturesque  islands  with  which  it  is  studded,  we 
trust  that  none  of  our  readers  will  feel  indisposed  to  accompany  us  in 
our  sailings  and  saunterings  along-shore. 

Proceeding  eastward  from  Queenstown  harbor  the  first  opening  that 
presented  itself  to  our   notice  was  Ballycottin   Bay,  bleak,  low,  unshel- 


TOWN  AND  HARBOR  OF  YOUGHAL. 


93 


tered,  and  almost  devoid  of  scenic  beauty,  but  abounding  with  fish  of 
excellent  quality.  The  next  was  that  of  Youghal  harbor,  with  the  bold 
outline  of  its  beetling  cliffs,  jutting  out  in  dark  defiance  of  the  ocean 
swell. 

The  town  of  Youghal  is  situated  on  the  western  shore  of  the 
beautiful  Blackwater,  which,  at  its  mouth,  has  an  average  breadth  of 
half  a  mile,  but,  inland,  expands  into  a  spacious  harbor,  capable  of 
accommodating  ships  of  considerable  tonnage.  It  had,  in  1871,  a 
population  of  5,574,  and  sends  one  member  to  the  British  House  of 
Commons.  Its  importance  dates  as  far  back  as  1209,  when  it  is  said 
to  have  been  incorporated  by  King  John.  In  1579,  the  Earl  of 
Desmond,  being  proclaimed  a  traitor,  plundered  the  town  ;  and  about 
the  same  time,  the  mayor,  on  his  refusal  to  receive  an  English  gar- 
rison, and  neglecting  to  protect  the  place  without  it,  was  hanged 
before  the  door  of  his  own  house.  In  1582,  the  forces  of  the 
Seneschal  of  Imokilly,  whose  castle  lay  ten  miles  to  the  west,  surprised 
the  town  and  scaled  the  walls,  but  were  repulsed  by  the  garrison ; 
which  again  in  1645,  though  weak,  gallantly  withstood  an  assault  from 
Lord  Castlehaven.  In  the  years  of  trouble  that  occurred  about  the 
latter  date,  the  native  Irish  were  expelled  and  their  property  seized  ; 
and  the  inhabitants  having  declared  for  the  Parliament,  Cromwell  made 
his  headquarters  at  Youghal,  whence  he  embarked  for  England  in  1650, 
after  the  siege  of  Clonmel.  In  1690,  after  the  reduction  of  Waterford, 
the  town  surrendered  to  the  forces  of  William  III.  Remains  of  the 
walls,  which  do  not  appear  to  have  been  either  lofty  or  strong,  line 
the  south  of  the  town,  and  are  in  summer  rendered  attractive  from 
the  profusion  of  wild  flowers  with  which  they  are  clothed. 

Youghal  is  built  on  a  slope  at  the  base  of  a  steep  hill,  from  the 
summit  of  which  is  obtained  a  birds-eye  survey  of  the  quaint  old  place 
with  its  crumbling  walls,  ladder-like  lanes,  and  ancient  structures,  as 
well  as  extensive  views  of  the  harbor,  opening  widely  to  the  sea 
between  bluff  headlands,  and  landward,  of  cultivated  fields,  wooded 
spots,  and  distant  mountain  ranges,  and  the  river  stretching  away  far 
inland,  and  crossed  at  some  little  distance  by  a  long  wooden  bridge 
that  connects  the  counties  of  Cork  and  Waterford.  Around  the  estuary 
are  ruins  of  several  ancient  edifices,  many  of  which  stand  as  memorials 


04 


ALONG  THE  SOUTH-EASTERN  SHORE. 


of  the  introduction  of  Christianity  into  Ireland.  Two  religious  houses, 
one  on  the  north  and  the  other  on  the  south  side  of  the  town,  were 
established  here  by  the  Geraldines,  about  the  middle  of  the  thirteenth 
century.  The  former,  of  which  a  small  fragment  only  exists,  was  a 
Dominican  friary,  founded  by  Thomas  Fitzgerald,  called  the  Ape,  from 
a  baboon  or  ape  having  snatched  him  when  an  infant,  from  his  cradle, 
and  to  the  terror  of  the  family  carried  him  to  the  battlements  of  his 
father's  castle  at  Tralee,  though  afterwards  restoring  him  carefully  to 
his  cradle.  The  latter,  according  to  Ware,  the  first  Franciscan  friary 
in  Ireland,  was  founded  by  Maurice  Fitzgerald,  who,  it  is  related, 
originally  commenced  the  erection  of  a  castle,  but  was  led,  through  the 
ill-behavior  of  his  son,  to  turn  his  half-built  fortress  into  a  monastery, 
evidence  of  which  still  remains  in  the  incongruous  juxtaposition  of  a 
square  tower  with  the  sacred  structure.  In  1464,  the  Earl  of  Desmond 
established  here  the  Collegiate  Church  of  St.  Mary,  with  warden, 
fellows,  and  choristers.  Though  the  building  is  described  as  having  been 
in  use  in  1681,  it  was  then  much  out  of  repair,  and  subsequently  became 
one  of  those  numerous  ruined  religious  edifices  which  dot  the  surface  of 
the  land.  It  has,  however,  recently  been  snatched  from  the  grinding  jaws 
of  time  and  restored  to  some  part  of  its  former  magnificence.  A  six-light 
east  window  of  stained  glass  is  one  of  the  most  elaborate  and  best  pro- 
portioned specimens  in  Ireland.  The  edifice,  at  one  time  said  to  have 
been  "  the  fairest  parish-church  in  the  province,"  was  even  beautiful  as  a 
ruin,  situated  as  it  was,  with  stalwart  trees  standing  as  sentinels  by  its 
side  ;  and  it  is  in  this  picturesque  attitude  that  it  is  presented  to  the  eye 
of  the  reader  in  the  accompanying  plate.  Many  specimens  of  decorative 
architecture,  and  several  ancient  monuments  are  here  found  to  interest 
the  archaeologist.  A  Round  Tower  once  stood  at  the  west  end,  and  at  one 
side  of  the  church  yard  is  the  site  of  the  college  founded  by  the  Earl  of 
Desmond,  but  now  occupied  by  a  modern  mansion. 

Near  to  the  church  stands  the  warden's  house,  now  called  Myrtle 
Grove  from  its  juxtaposition  to  a  luxuriant  growth  of  myrtles,  some  of 
which  are  nearly  thirty  feet  high.  It  is  famous  as  having  once  been  the 
residence  of  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  who,  in  1588-89,  was  Mayor  of  Youghal. 
He  came  hither  as  a  soldier  of  fortune  in  command  of  a  few  troops,  to 
assist  the  Lord  Deputy  during  the  Desmond  rebellion.     For  his  skill 


INTRODUCTION  OF  THE  POTATO. 


95 


and  bravery  in  that  campaign  he  was  rewarded  from  the  forfeited  estates* 
with  the  site  of  the  town,  and  a  tract  of  land  extending  as  far  as 
Lismore,  which  he  disposed  of  in  1602,  to  Richard  Boyle,  first  Earl  of 
Cork,  who  had  befriended  him  upon  his  return  from  Virginia ;  and  by  the 
marriage  of  Lady  Mary  Boyle  in  1 748,  the  property  eventually  became 
vested  in  the  dukedom  of  Devonshire.  Raleigh's  house  is  a  plain 
Elizabethan  structure,  having  probably  been  transformed  to  that  style  in 
the  sixteenth  century.  Here  he  was  wont  to  entertain  the  poet  Spenser, 
and,  while  lying  under  the  yew  tree  in  his  garden,  to  pore  over  the 
"  Faerie  Queene,"  and  indulge  in  the  fumes  of  the  "  fragrant  weed "  he 
had  brought  with  him  from  Virginia.  Tradition  relates  that  once  while 
thus  occupied,  a  domestic,  passing  with  a  bucket  of  water  from  the  well, 
believed  her  master  to  be  on  fire,  and  dashed  the  contents  of  the  pail  in 
his  face,  screaming  to  her  fellow-servants  to  come  and  aid  in  extinguishing 
him.  In  this  same  garden,  it  is  said,  that  the  potato,  which  he  also 
brought  from  America,  was  first  propagated  in  Ireland  ;  and  it  is  asserted 
that  the  person  to  whom  he  entrusted  the  care  of  the  plant,  imagining 
that  the  apples  growing  on  the  stalk  were  to  be  eaten,  gathered  them, 
but  not  liking  the  taste,  neglected  the  plant  until  he  dug  up  the  ground 
to  receive  other  crops,  when,  to  his  surprise,  he  found  a  multitude  of 
tubers  as  the  product  of  the  original  root,  and  from  these  sprang  the 
countless  wealth  of  potatoes  with  which  the  soil  of  Ireland  now  teems. 
In  like  manner  when  tea  was  first  introduced  into  England  from  China, 
the  boiled  leaves  were  eaten,  while  the  liquid,  which,  it  was  afterwards 
found,  contained  the  essence  of  the  plant,  was  thrown  away.  Notwith- 
standing the  nutritive  properties  of  potatoes,  a  popular  writer  asserts,  that 
Pat  considers  it  quite  as  natural  for  him  to  smoke  tobacco  as  to  eat  them, 
because  they  were  equally  made  known  to  him  by  Raleigh. 

Considerable  improvement  has  been  effected  in  the  general  aspect  of 
Youghal  since  the  year  i860;  many  of  the  dilapidated  buildings  have  been 
either  removed  or  restored,  and  successful  efforts  for  infusing  commercial 
activity  into  the  town  and  making  it  an  attractive  watering  place,  have 

*  The  Earl  of  Desmond  was,  perhaps,  in  his  time,  the  most  wealthy  "subject"  in  Europe.  He  had,  it  is 
said,  besides  his  numerous  vassals,  five  hundred  followers  of  his  name  and  kindred.  His  estates,  confiscated  at 
his  attainder,  amounted  to  574,628  English  acres,  which  were  parcelled  out  among  Queen  Elizabeth's  soldiers, 
as  rewards  for  crushing  his  rebellion. 


96 


ALONG  THE  SOUTH-EASTERN  SHORE. 


been  much  aided  by  the  opening  of  railroad  communication  with  the  City 
of  Cork,  twenty-seven  miles  distant.  The  strand  affords  excellent  bathing, 
and  the  walks  along  the  shore  to  Cable  Island  and  on  towards  Ballycottin 
Bay  present  many  delighful  views ;  while  an  attraction  is  found  in  the 
love  of  the  inhabitants  for  flowers,  which  the  salubrity  of  the  climate 
enables  them  to  cultivate  with  marked  success. 

The  excursion  we  took  through  the  ancient  demesne  of  the  once 
favored  Raleigh,  up  the  Valley  of  the  Blackwater  to  Lismore,  was  an  inci- 
dent to  be  remembered  for  a  lifetime.  There  are  some  half-dozen  rivers 
of  the  same  name  running  their  respective  courses  in  different  parts  of 
the  land,  but  this  eclipses  them  all.    Spenser  speaks  of  it  as 

"Swift  Awniduff,  which  of  the  English  man 
Is  cal'de  Blacke-water."— 

and  it  has  been  a  theme  of  praise  for  many  travelers,  who  have  described 
it  as  combining  beauties  unsurpassed  either  on  the  Rhine,  the  Rhone,  or 
the  Danube.  It  takes  its  rise  not  far  from  the  Lakes  of  Killarney,  and 
has  a  course  of  a  hundred  miles,  only  the  last  sixteen  of  which  can  be 
navigated  by  steamers.  The  Blackwater,  even  in  this  country  of  lovely 
rivers,  is,  without  doubt,  eminently  lovely.  Its  banks  are  bold,  verdant, 
graceful,  and  gemmed  with  beautiful  structures,  offering  in  its  whole 
length,  perhaps  as  great  a  variety  of  enjoyable  scenery,  as  any  river  in 
the  world.  Thomas  Davis,  in  comparing  it  with  a  northern  namesake, 
terms  it  "The  Beauty  of  Munster,"  and  in  his  rhapsody  remarks: — 

"  I  would  rove  by  that  stream,  ere  my  flag  I  unrolled  ; 
I  would  fly  to  these  banks  my  betrothed  to  enfold, — 
The  pride  of  our  sire-land, 
The  Eden  of  Ireland, 

More  precious  than  gold." 

Shortly  after  leaving  Youghal  our  steamer  passed  under  the  wooden 
bridge,  the  largest  of  its  kind  in  Ireland — 1,787  feet  long,  joined  to  a 
causeway  1,500  feet  in  length,  making  the  total  nearly  three-fifths  of  a 
mile — and  immediately  entered  the  river  proper,  as  distinguished  from  the 
harbor.  Ruined  structures  and  modern  residences  line  the  river's  banks 
in  quick  succession.  Among  the  former  are  Rincrew  (Rinn-cru — Point  of 
Blood)   situated   on  a   precipitous   hill,   and  once  a  preceptory   of  the 


THE  VALLEY  OF  THE  BLACK  WATER. 


97 


Knights  Templars,  said  to  have  been  founded  in  the  twelfth  century  by 
Raymond  le  Gros,  one  of  the  companions  of  Strongbow  ;  Temple  Michael 
Church  and  Castle,  erected  in  the  fourteenth  century  and  reduced  to  the 
present  condition  by  the  cannonade  of  Cromwell  ;  and  the  Abbey  of 
Molana,  said  to  have  been  founded  by  St.  Molanfide  early  in  the  sixth 
century,  and  to  contain  the  grave  of  Raymond  le  Gros.  After  passing 
these,  the  river  expands  into  a  small  lake,  called  the  Broad  of  Clashmore, 
presenting  a  delightful  prospect  of  mountain,  mansion,  meadow,  and  water, 
beautifully  blended. 

Higher  up  we  come  upon  the  ivied  ruins  of  the  old  castle  of  Strancally, 
perched  on  a  moss-clad  cliff  rising  almost  perpendicularly  from  the  water. 
This  castle,  formerly  denominated  "Strath-na-Caillighc"  (The  Hag's  Holm) 
was  a  seat  of  the  Desmonds,  and  had,  in  the  rock  beneath,  a  cave  or 
chamber  popularly  known  as  the   "  Murdering  Hole,"  in  which  tradition 
states,  that  an  Earl  was  wont  to  despatch  rich  neighbors,  after  he  had 
feasted  them  with  wine,  and  then  to  cast  their  bodies  through  an  opening 
like  a  portcullis  into  the  river,  which  is  here  at  its  deepest,  in  order  that 
he   might  possess  himself  of  their  estates  ;  for  which  act  of  treachery 
Queen  Elizabeth's  government  ordered  the  castle  to  be  blown  up.  Near 
by,  where  the  Bride  falls  into  the  Blackwater,  is  new  Strancally  Castle, 
a  modern  Gothic  mansion  whose  battlements  surmount  the  foliage  of  the 
woods  in  which  it  lies  buried.    At  the  junction  of  the  two  rivers  a  bend 
in  the  main  stream  brings  us  in  view  of  the  Knock-me-le-down  {Cnoc-maol- 
diui — bare,  brown  hill)    Mountains,  whose  rugged  peaks  contrast  boldly 
with  the  fertile  valley  beneath.    A  mile  or  two  higher  up  the  stream,  on  our 
right,  the  castle  of  Dromana,  built  on  a  wooded  eminence,  presents  itself ; 
and  it  is  from  this  point  that  our  artist  has  given  us  the  picture  of  the 
Valley  of  the  Blackwater.     Overlooking  the  river  from  an  eminence  of 
sixty   or  seventy  feet,  the  eye  stretches  for  miles  over  the  fertile  lands 
below,  along  the   course  of  the  river  as  it  travels  towards  us  from  its 
mountain  birth-place  in  the  distant  west  ;  while,  towards  the  north,  the  line 
of  vision  is  closed  by  the  mountain  range  between   Lismore  and  Clonmel, 
with  a  particularly  well-shaped  outline,  the  loftiest  peak  being  the  Knock- 
me-le-down,  over   two  thousand  feet  above  the  sea-level,  on   whose  top 
Major  Eeles,  an  eccentric  gentleman,  who  resided  at  Youghal,  and  wrote 
some  tracts  on  electricity,  was  buried,  with  his  horse  and  gun  beside  him. 

13 


98 


ALONG  THE  SOUTH-EASTERN  SHORE. 


Dromana  presented  the  most  lovely  of  the  many  beautiful  views  our 
excursion  afforded.  All  about,  rocks  and  trees  hung  picturesquely  over 
the  water,  forming  numerous  delightful  combinations.  As  a  spot  it  is  not 
only  a  bright  one  in  a  pictorial  point  of  view  ;  but  it  is  a  notable  one, 
historically,  having  been  one  of  the  residences  of  the  powerful  Desmonds, 
in  whose  lives  is  embodied  no  small  portion  of  the  poetry  of  Irish  history. 
"  With  possessions  of  nearly  four  counties,"  says  Croker,  "  the  Earls  of 
Desmond,  when  actuated  by  private  motives,  were  enabled  to  take  the 
field  with  an  armed  force  so  considerable  as  to  excite  just  apprehensions 
in  those  who  had  the  government  of  an  imperfectly  subdued  country." 
Near  to  the  present  mansion  are  the  remains  of  a  fine  old  castle  reputed 
to  have  been  the  birth-place  of  Catherine,  the  long-lived  Countess  of 
Desmond,  who,  at  the  age  of  140,  journeyed  from  her  residence  at  Inchi- 
quin  to  the  English  court,  to  petition  James  I.  for  her  jointure,  of  which 
the  attainder  of  the  last  Earl  had  deprived  her ;  and  whose  life  is  said  to 
have  been  finally  cut  short  by  a  fall  from  a  favorite  cherry-tree  into  which 
she  had  climbed — the  cherry,  be  it  known,  having  been  brought,  not 
many  years  before,  by  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  from  the  Canary  Islands,  and 
introduced  into  Ireland  at  Affane,  a  mile  higher  up  the  river. 

The  views  from  the  steamboat  as  it  glides  up  the  river  from  Dromana 
to  Cappoquin,  a  distance  of  three  miles,  are  exceedingly  charming,  and 
even  surpassed  those  presented  to  us  lower  down ;  but  the  only  places  we 
passed  that  we  can  find  room  for  special  note  are,  on  the  left  bank,  the 
ancient  castle  of  Tourin  and  the  modern  structure  of  the  same  name,  and 
on  the  right,  the  village  of  Affane  just  mentioned.  At  the  latter  a  battle 
was  fought  in  1564,  between  the  clans  of  the  Butlers  and  the  Fitzgeralds. 
The  latter  were  defeated,  and  the  Earl  of  Desmond  was  wounded  and  carried 
from  the  field  by  four  of  his  conquerors,  whereupon  he  was  taunted  by 
one  of  the  Earl  of  Ormond's  leaders  with  "  Where  is  now  the  great  Earl  of 
Desmond?"  To  which  he  indignantly  replied,  "where,  but  in  his  proper  place, 
on  the  necks  of  the  Butlers  !  "  When  about  a  couple  of  miles  from  Cappo- 
quin, one  of  those  sudden  turns  in  the  river,  which  had  been  continually 
revealing  to  us  new  beauties,  opened  to  our  view  rising  ground  intersec- 
ted by  wooded  glens,  and  rich  with  variegated  foliage.  Above  all,  appeared 
Mount  Melleray,  with  upon  it  the  convent  of  La  Trappe,  established  by 
some  French  Cistercian  monks,  driven  from  their  native  country  by  the 


THE  LITTLE  CITY  OE  LISMORE. 


99 


Revolution  of  1830.  The  community,  however,  is  now  chiefly  composed  of 
natives  of  Ireland;  and  the  severity  of  its  rules  is  almost  unequalled  in 
the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  At  Cappoquin,  after  traversing  the  river 
for  seventeen  miles,  we  were  compelled  to  leave  the  steam-packet,  upon 
whose  deck  we  had  been  for  two  hours  under  a  spell  of  enchantment,  as 
a  massive  stone  bridge,  which  has  replaced  a  wooden  one  built  by  the 
Earl  of  Cork,  formed  a  pretty  stout  barrier  to  our  progress  ;  though  we 
were  told,  that,  if  it  had  contained  a  draw,  there  was  a  sufficient  depth  of 
water  in  the  river  to  have  enabled  the  steamer  to  ascend  as  far  as  Lismore. 
From  the  former  to  the  latter  place  is  a  distance  of  four  miles,  and  two 
charming  roads,  one  on  each  side  of  the  river,  connect  them.  At  Cappo- 
quin, a  bend  in  the  river  completely  changes  its  course,  which  thus  far 
from  its  source  runs  from  west  to  east,  while  from  this  place  to  its  outlet 
to  the  sea  at  Youghal  it  is  generally  from  north  to  south. 

The  view  of  the  small  town  of  Lismore  from  the  highly  picturesque 
bridge,  which  was  built  by  the  Duke  of  Devonshire,  if  not  the  most 
striking,  is  the  most  beautiful  in  this  district  of  countrv.  The  Blackwater, 
both  above  and  below  the  bridge,  flows  through  one  of  the  most  verdant 
of  valleys,  just  wide  enough  to  show  its  greenness  and  fertility,  and 
diversified  by  noble  single  trees  and  fine  groups.  The  banks  bounding 
this  valley  are  in  some  places  thickly  covered,  in  other  places  thinly 
shaded,  with  wood.  Then  there  is  the  bridge  itself,  and  the  castle, 
gray  and  massive,  with  its  ivy-grown  towers  ;  and  the  beautiful  spire  of 
the  church,  and  the  deep-wooded  lateral  dells  that  carry  to  the  Blackwater 
its  tributary  streams.  Nothing,  we  are  certain,  can  surpass  in  richness  and 
beauty  the  view  from  this  bridge,  when,  at  evening,  the  deep  woods,  and 
the  gray  castle,  and  the  still  river  are  left  in  shade ;  while  the  sun  stream- 
ing up  the  valley  gilds  all  the  softer  slopes  that  lie  opposite. 

The  early  annalists  report  Lismore  to  have  been  one  of  the  most 
distinguished  seats  of  learning  in  Ireland,  and  that  on  the  site  of  the 
present  castle  there  once  stood  a  famous  university.  It  is  said  that,  four 
thousand  students  thronged  its  halls,  among  whom  was  counted  the  name 
of  Alfred  the  Great.  Lismore  is  described  as  having  been  in  the  seventh 
century  a  remarkable  and  holy  city,  possessing  numerous  monasteries, 
resorts  of  pious  men  from  Britain,  and  half  of  it  an  asylum  into  which 
no  woman  was  permitted  to  enter  ;  but  its  history  presents  a  catalogue  of 


100 


ALONG  THE  SOUTH-EASTERN  SHORE. 


destructive  conflagrations  at  the  hands  of  the  Danes  and  Ossorians,  which' 
in  a  measure  account  for  its  now  being  almost  destitute  of  ancient  edifices. 
Its  original  name  was  Dunsginne,  which  eventually  gave  way  to  its  present, 
Lis-Mor  (Great  Fort)  from  a  rath  in  its  immediate  vicinity.  A  bishopric 
was  founded  here  in  the  middle  of  the  seventh  century  by  St.  Carthagh  ; 
but,  after  fruitless  attempts,  in  1225  and  1326,  the  see  was  ultimately  united 
to  that  of  Waterford  by  Edward  III.  in  1363.  Thus,  small  as  the  place 
now  is,  it  is  like  Cloyne,  designated  a  "city"  according  to  the  English 
definition  of  the  term.  The  most  notable  events  in  its  history  are  its 
seizure  by  the  Danes  in  the  ninth  century  ;  and  the  holding  there  of  a 
council  by  Henry  II.  in  11 72.  The  old  cathedral  church,  St.  Carthagh, 
we  are  told,  was  held  in  such  veneration  by  the  Irish,  that,  in  11 73, 
Raymond  le  Gros  found  a  threat  of  burning  it  down  to  be  the  easiest 
mode  of  extracting  heavy  black-mail  from  the  inhabitants.  It  is  approached 
through  a  fine  avenue  of  trees,  possesses  a  graceful  white  limestone  spire, 
and  has  been  restored  in  many  parts  by  the  Earl  of  Cork,  in  1663,  and 
at  later  periods. 

But  the  principal  feature  of  the  place  is  Lismore  Castle,  a  stately 
pile  crowning  the  rugged  rocks  that  overhang  the  river,  and  are  so  veiled 
with  trees  that  the  foliage  seems  to  spring  from  the  water's  edge. 
The  origin  of  this  magnificent  edifice  is  due  to  the  visit  of  Henry  II., 
who  rested  at  Lismore  for  two  days  in  his  progress  through  the  south  of 
Ireland,  when  he  was  so  impressed  with  its  importance  as  a  military 
position,  that  he  determined  a  fortress  should  be  erected  there — a  design 
which  was  carried  out  by  his  son,  King  John,  when  Earl  of  Moreton,  in 
1 185,  on  the  site  formerly  occupied,  as  we  have  said,  by  the  ancient 
university.  This  fortress  was,  however,  surprised  and  destroyed  four  years 
later  by  the  Irish,  who  slew  the  garrison.  It  was  afterwards  rebuilt, 
and  became  an  Episcopal  residence  ;  and  at  length,  in  1589,  it  passed 
with  the  rest  of  the  manor  to  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  by  whom  it  was 
eventually  sold,  along  with  his  possessions  at  Youghal,  as  already  stated, 
to  the  first  Earl  of  Cork,  and  with  them  ultimately  became,  by  marriage, 
a  part  of  the  estates  of  the  dukedom  of  Devonshire.  In  1627,  the 
celebrated  philosopher,  Robert  Boyle,  was  born  within  the  walls  of  the 
castle,  which  was  much  enlarged  by  his  elder  brother,  the  second  Earl  of 
Cork.    In  the  rebellion  of  1641,  it  was  successfully  defended  by  the  young 


LISMORE  CASTLE. 


101 


Lord  Broghill  against  the  attack  of  five  thousand  Irish,  under  Sir  Richard 
Beling ;  and  two  years  later,  it  was  again  unsuccessfully  besieged  by  a  still 
greater  force.  In  1645,  however,  it  was  compelled  to  surrender  to  the 
attack  of  Lord  Castlehaven. 

The  approach  to  the  castle  is  through  fine  court-yards,  and  the  interior 
is  fitted  up  with  much  elegance  and  exquisite  taste  ;  while  the  external 
views  presented  at  some  of  the  windows  are  extremely  fine.  James  II. 
was  entertained  in  the  tapestried  chamber  in  1690,  when,  on  being  con- 
ducted to  a  lattice,  which  still  bears  his  name,  to  take  a  view  of  the 
surrounding  scene,  he  shrank  back  with  terror,  and  accused  his  host  of  a 
design  to  hurl  him  into  the  abyss  below — the  river  appearing  far  beneath, 
in  consequence  of  the  great  difference  of  level  between  the  north  and 
south  fronts,  while  the  elevated  position  affords  a  magnificent  view  of  the 
valley,  and  the  mountain  chains  that  form  its  boundaries.  The  feudal  towers 
of  this  ducal  pile  are  seen  to  the  best  advantage  from  the  handsome  bridge, 
that  spans  the  river  at  its  foot.  At  the  eastern  angle  of  the  water  face, 
rises  the  tower  of  King  James,  and  to  the  rear  towards  the  town  that 
known  as  King  John's — the  former  deriving  its  name  from  its  having  been 
the  resting  place  of  James  II.,  during  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  and  the 
latter  from  its  being:  the  scene  of  the  first  British  Parliament  held  in 
Ireland  under  the  presidency  of  King  John.  In  addition  to  these,  there 
has  been  erected,  since  the  sketch  which  illustrates  this  work  was  taken, 
a  huge  modern  tower,  flanking-  the  western  angle  of  the  river  front,  and 
already  overtopping  the  whole  building.  It  is  called  the  Carlyle  tower, 
after  the  late  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  who  laid  the  foundation  stone, 
and  forms  a  part  of  the  large  additions  made  under  the  superintendence 
of  the  late  Sir  Joseph  Paxton  of  Crystal  Palace  fame.  It  is,  however, 
incomplete,  the  work  having  been  stopped  upon  the  death  of  the  Duke  of 
Devonshire,  the  entire  of  whose  contemplated  additions,  if  ever  executed,  will 
make  Lismore  Castle  one  of  the  first  residences  in  the  United  Kingdom. 

The  disciple  of  old  Izaak  Walton  will  perhaps  consider  all  the  charms 
we  have  presented  of  the  Blackwater,  as  only  second  to  the  information 
that  it  abounds  in  salmon,  trout,  pike,  and  perch  ;  and  that  the  part  of 
the  river  best  adapted  for  angling  lies  between  Lismore  and  Mallow,  where 
the  scenery  continues  to  be  exceedingly  fine.  Part  of  the  stream  is, 
however,  strictly  preserved;  but  it  seems  a  natural  trait  of  Irish  hospitality 


102 


ALONG  THE  SOUTH-EASTERN  SHORE. 


never  to  refuse  the  appeal  of  a  brother  angler  for  permission  to  cast  his  line. 
A  branch  of  the  Great  Southern  and  Western  Railway  follows  the  course  of 
the  river,  through  Fermoy  to  Mallow,  where  it  joins  the  main  line  at  the 
point  where  the  branch  to  Killarney  and  Tralee  also  connects.  However, 
we  were  compelled  to  close  our  excursion  at  Lismore,  as  our  yacht  was 
waiting  for  us  at  Youghal ;  but  it  ill  behooves  us  to  pass  from  the  place 
without  paying  a  tribute  to  the  general  air  of  comfort  that  pervades  the 
little  city,  unmistakably  due  to  the  generous  character  of  the  late  Duke 
of  Devonshire. 

Resuming  our  cruise,  we,  at  little  over  a  dozen  miles  from  Youghal 
Harbor,  rounded  Helvick  Head,  a  bluff  promontory,  and  entered 
Dungarvan  Bay,  which,  though  open  and  safe,  is  shallow,  and  therefore 
useless  to  vessels  of  large  burthen.  Dungarvan  was  a  place  of  some  note 
during  the  civil  wars,  and  the  remains  of  the  ancient  walls  may  yet  be 
traced.  It  is  said  to  have  been  spared  the  fate  of  a  bombardment  by 
Cromwell,  in  consequence  of  his  being  flattered  by  a  woman's  drinking  his 
health  at  the  entrance  of  the  town.  Of  the  castle,  founded  by  King  John, 
only  a  portion  of  the  keep  at  present  exists.  The  town  had  a  population 
of  8,645  m  1871,  and  returns  one  member  to  parliament. 

Continuing  our  course  along  this  rock-bound  coast,  we  came  upon  a 
succession  of  magnificent  scenes,  formed  by  a  number  of  deep  bays, 
separated  from  each  other  by  headlands  projecting  boldly  into  the  ocean. 
Some  of  these  havens,  however  beautiful,  are  carefully  avoided  by  experi- 
enced mariners.  Of  this  description  is  Tramore  Bay,  lying  twenty  miles 
east  of  Dungarvan,  for  it  is  extremely  shallow,  the  sand  being  left  bare 
at  low  water,  and  terribly  exposed  to  the  southerly  gales,  which  have  made 
it  notorious  as  the  scene  of  numerous  shipwrecks.*  The  village  of  Tramore, 
on  a  hill  at  the  northwest  corner  of  the  bay,  is  a  pleasantly  situated  little 
watering  place,  much  patronized  by  the  people  of  Waterford,  with  which 
city  it  is  connected  by  a  railway  seven  miles  in  length. 

Half  a  dozen  miles  further  on  we  entered  the  noble  harbor  of  Watei- 
ford,  formed  by  the  junction,  nearly  a  dozen  miles  from  the  sea,  of  the 

*  A  melancholy  instance  occurred  in  1816,  when  the  Sea-horse,  transport,  having  on  board  the  second  battalion 
of  the  Fifty-ninth  Foot,  was  driven  on  shore,  and  292  men  and  71  women  and  children  perished  in  the  open  day, 
under  the  eyes  of  thousands  of  spectators,  who  were  unable  to  offer  them  the  slightest  assistance — sad  fate  for  brave 
fellows  after  escaping  death  in  many  a  well-fought  battle  in  foreign  climes,  to  thus  meet  it  on  the  shores  of  their 
native  land. 


THE  HARBOR  OF  WATERFORD. 


103 


Suir  and  the  Barrow.  These  rivers,  with  the  Nore  which  unites  with  the 
Barrow  half  a  score  miles  still  further  inland,  derive  their  sources  from  the 
same  range  of  mountains  in  the  centre  of  Ireland,  diverge  from  each 
other,  and  after  watering  various  parts  of  the  rich  counties  of  Tipperary 
and  Kilkenny,  converge  as  they  approach  the  termination  of  their  mean- 
dering courses,  and  ultimately  mingle  their  waters  and  discharge  them 
through  this  broad  estuary  into  the  Atlantic.  In  his  "  Rivers  of  Ireland," 
the  poet  Spenser  has  a  quaint  myth  regarding  the  nativity  and  union  of 
these  streams  : — 

"  And  there  the  three  renowned  Brethren  were, 

Which  that  great  gyant  Blomius  begot 

Of  the  faire  nimph  Rheiisa  wand'ring  there  : 

One  day,  as  she  to  shunne  the  season  whot 

Under  Slewboome  in  shady  grove  was  got, 

This  gyant  found  her,  and  by  force  deflower'd  ; 

Whereof  conceiving,  she  in  time  forth  brought 

These  three  fair  sons,  which  being  thenceforth  powr'd 
In  three  great  rivers  ran,  and  many  countreis  scowr'd. 

"  The  first  the  gentle  Shure  that,  making  way 

By  sweet  Clonmell,  adornes  rich  Waterford ; 

The  next,  the  stubborn  Newre  whose  waters  gray 

By  fair  Kilkenny  and  Rosseponte  boord ; 

The  third,  the  goodly  Barrow  which  doth  hoord 

Great  heaps  of  salmons  in  his  deep  bosome : 

All  which,  long  sundred,  doe  at  last  accord 

To  joyne  in  one,  ere  to  the  sea  they  come  ; 
So,  flowing  all  from  one,  all  one  at  last  become." 

The  coasts  of  this  noble  bay  are  studded  with  the  remains  of  ancient 
civilization,  both  religious  and  military.  Not  far  from  its  head,  and  near  to 
the  embouchures  of  the  Suir  and  Barrow,  are  the  remains  of  Duxbrody 
Abbey,  in  the  county  of  Wexford.  The  monastery  is  recorded  to  have 
been  founded,  about  the  year  1182,  by  Hervey  de  Montmorency,  marshal 
to  Henry  II.,  one  of  the  first  of  the  English  adventurers  that  obtained  a 
footing  in  Ireland.  He  was  related  to  Strongbow  by  marriage,  being  uncle 
to  the  lady  Aliva  de  Montmaurisco,  the  Earl's  first  wife.  When  Strongbow, 
who  had  obtained  extensive  grants  of  land  from  Dermot  MacMurrou^h,  the 
traitorous  King  of  Leinster,  found  it  necessary  to  repair  to  England,  to 
appease  the  political  jealousy  of  Henry,  by  formally  surrendering  to  him 
his  Irish    acquisitions,  he  appointed    Hervey  de  Montmorency,  Seneschal 


104 


ALONG  THE  SOUTH-EASTERN  SHORE. 


of  Leinster,  and  committed  to  him  the  command  of  the  English  forces. 
Hervey  thereby  obtained  such  influence  that  it  created  the  envy  of 
Strongbow,  who,  upon  his  return  to  Ireland,  found  a  pretext  for  quarreling 
with  him,  which  led  the  insulted  chieftain  to  quit  the  army,  and  to 
abandon  all  his  lands,  except  this  small  portion  in  the  barony  of  Shel- 
burne,  where  he  erected  this  noble  abbey,  settled  it  with  monks  of  the 
Cistercian  order,  and,  retiring  from  the  stormy  scenes  in  which  he  had 
been  long  engaged,  assumed  the  cowl  and  became  its  first  abbot.  Dun- 
brody  Abbey  was  originally  dependent  on  that  of  Buildwas  in  Shropshire, 
but  eventually  became  independent,  and  its  abbot  sat  in  Parliament  as  a 
spiritual  lord,  until  the  dissolution  of  monasteries  by  Henry  VIII.,  when 
this  was  granted  to  Sir  Osborne  Itchingham.  The  edifice,  though  dilapi- 
dated by  time,  and  considerably  injured  by  the  hands  of  barbarous 
despoilers,  is  one  of  the  most  perfect  and  interesting  specimens  of  the 
ecclesiastical  architecture  of  its  age  to  be  met  with  in  the  Kingdom.  An 
arched  doorway  at  the  western  end  and  an  unique  window  above  it  have 
been  pronounced  of  magnificent  workmanship.  At  the  eastern  end  is  an 
elegant  three-light  window  of  the  early  English  style,  deeply  splayed 
inwardly  and  surmounted  by  smaller  ones.  The  interior  viewed  from  the 
entrance  is  singularly  striking,  having  in  front  the  great  aisle  divided  from 
the  cloisters  by  a  double  row  of  arches,  supported  by  massive  square 
pillars,  and  adorned  inside  with  a  moulding  springing  from  beautiful 
consoles.  In  the  centre  of  the  edifice,  sustained  by  noble  arches,  fifty  feet 
in  height,  rises  a  massive  tower,  whose  gray  battlements  afford  shelter 
to  a  community  of  daws,  whose  sable  plumage  and  mournful  cawings 
might  suggest  to  the  mind  of  a  Brahmin  the  idea  that  the  souls  of  the 
old  monks  who  once  paced  these  dim  cloisters  inhabited  the  bodies  of 
these  birds,  and  still  lingered  around  the  haunts  they  loved  so  well.  Some 
curious  tombs  of  the  early  benefactors  of  the  abbey  existed  formerly  within 
its  walls,  but  they  have  long  since  been  overturned  and  destroyed  by  the 
country  people  in  digging  for  hidden  treasures,  which  popular  tradition 
says  are  concealed  amongst  the  ruins. 

Proceeding  up  the  Suir,  which  for  the  first  score  miles  separates  the 
provinces  of  Munster  and  Leinster,  at  four  miles  from  its  outlet  into  the 
harbor,  we  reached  the  City  of  Waterford,  the  centre  of  commercial 
industry  for  this  part  of  the  Kingdom,  and  the  fifth  city  in  point  of  rank 


THE  CITY  OF  WATERFORD. 


105 


in  Ireland,  having  in  1871  a  population  of  23,337,  an<^  returning  two  mem- 
bers to  Parliament.  It  lies  upon  the  southern  bank  of  the  river,  over 
which  a  long  wooden  bridge  of  thirty-nine  arches  connects  it  with  the 
popular  suburb  of  Ferry  Bank  on  the  opposite  shore,  in  the  county  of 
Kilkenny,  ■  where  the  railway  station  for  the  lines  to  Kilkenny  and  Limer- 
ick is  situated.  This  bridge  was  constructed  at  the  close  of  the  last 
century  by  Mr.  Lemuel  Cox,  of  Boston,  Mass.,  in  not  only  a  substantial 
manner,  but  for  a  less  sum  than  the  original  estimate,  an  antiquated 
habit  which  American  contractors  of  the  present  day  are  not  generally 
guilty  of  imitating.  Tablets  affixed  to  its  central  piers  record  its  history, 
and  state  it  to  be  832  feet  long,  40  feet  broad,  and  to  consist  of  stone 
abutments  and  40  sets  of  piers  of  oak. 

The  ancient  name  of  Waterford  is  stated  to  have  originally  been 
Cuan-na-Grioth,  or,  Haven  of  the  Sun,  and  afterwards  Gleami-na-Gleodh, 
or,  Valley  of  Lamentation,  so  named  from  the  tremendous  conflicts  between 
the  Irish  and  the  Danes ;  while  old  Irish  authors  frequently  spoke  of  it 
as  the  "  Port  of  the  Thigh "  from  the  peculiarity  of  its  shape.  Its 
present  name  may  be  said  to  have  been  given  to  it  by  the  Danes,  as  it  is 
attributed  to  be  a  corruption  of  Vader  Fiord,  the  Ford  of  the  Father. 
Though  historically  recorded  to  have  been  founded  as  early  as  A.  D. 
155,  its  early  importance  may  be  said  to  date  from  the  year  853,  when 
the  Danes  founded  a  colony  under  their  leader  Sitric,  after  which  they 
sallied  forth  from  its  fortifications  to  devastate  different  parts  of  the 
country;  and  it  was  still  inhabited  by  them  at  the  time  of  the  English 
invasion  in  1 1 70,  when  it  was  captured  by  the  forces  of  Strongbow 
under  Hervey  de  Montmorency  and  Raymond  le  Gros.  In  the  following 
year  Dermot  McMurrough,  King  of  Leinster,  gave  his  daughter  Eva 
here  in  marriage  to  Strongbow,  when  Henry  II.  landed  to  take  possession 
of  his  new  kingdom.  The  city's  first  charter  was  granted  to  it  by  King 
John,  who  in  12 10,  resided  in  it  some  months.  The  history  of  Waterford 
is  so  crowded  with  accounts  of  sieges  and  reverses,  in  great  measure  caused 
by  its  proximity  to  England,  that  it  would  be  impossible  for  us  to 
detail  them.  We  may,  however,  mention  as  amongst  its  most  important 
events,  that  it  was  visited  by  Richard  I.,  who  remained  here  nine  months 
to  assuage  his  grief  for  the  death  of  Queen  Anne ;  that  for  eleven  days 
it  withstood  the  siege  of   Perkin    Warbeck,  for    which    it    received  its 

14 


106 


ALONG  THE  SOUTH-EASTERN  SHORE. 


motto — "Urbs  intacta  manet ;"  that  it  surrendered  to  the  Parliamentary 
forces  under  Cromwell;*  and  that  it  espoused  the  cause  of  James  I.,  (who 
embarked  here  for  France,  in  1690,  after  the  battle  of  the  Boyne), 
but  three  weeks  later  it  was  compelled  to  surrender  to  the  Protestant 
army  under  General  Kirk. 

The  Cathedral  is  reported  to  have  been  originally  built  by  the  Danes  at 
the  time  they  embraced  Christianity  towards  the  close  of  the  eleventh  cen- 
tury, when  the  Bishopric  was  also  established, f  and  Malchus,  a  Benedictine 
monk,  became  its  first  bishop.  It  is  said  to  have  been  a  venerable  and 
stately  edifice,  but,  in  1773,  the  old  materials  were  transformed  into  the 
present  structure,  consisting  of  a  large  plain  building  with  a  lofty  spire. 
The  Roman  Catholic  Cathedral,  erected  in  1793,  is  an  imposing  structure 
of  the  Ionic  order,  and  is  reported  to  have  cost  ,£20,000,  which  sum 
was  chiefly  obtained  from  pence  taken  at  the  door.  It  is  scarcely  to 
be  expected  that  a  city  which  has  been  the  theatre  of  so  many  conflicts 
can  be  very  rich  in  archaeological  remains.  There  were  a  Franciscan 
Monastery,  on  whose  site  was  established  the  hospital  of  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  and  a  Dominican  Priory,  the  tower  and  belfry  of  which  are 
still  in  existence.     A  peculiar  feature  in  the  defence  of  the  city  was  its 

*  The  manner  in  which  Waterford  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Ironsides  is  peculiarly  interesting.  The 
citizens,  aided  by  Lord  Ormond,  had  for  some  time  kept  the  besiegers  at  bay,  when  two  brothers  named  Croker, 
belonging  to  Cromwell's  army,  were  detailed  with  thirty  musketeers  to  fire  a  small  suburb,  which  act  created 
such  a  smoke  that  it  alarmed  the  Irish  in  the  city,  many  of  whom  fled,  leaving  their  ladders  on  the  ramparts. 
This  suggested  to  one  of  the  brothers  the  possibility  of  capturing  the  place  with  their  small  force,  and  so  they 
mounted  the  wall,  rushed  in  hallooing  and  firing  as  they  advanced,  and  the  noise  and  smoke  concealing  their 
numbers,  the  inhabitants  fled  in  dismay  under  the  impression  that  the  entire  English  army  had  effected  an 
entrance.  One  of  the  brothers,  however,  was  killed  in  the  operation,  but  the  other  opened  the  gate  to  Cromwell, 
who,  it  is  related,  rewarded  him  on  the  spot  for  his  reckless  bravery  by  writing  him  an  order,  resting  the  paper 
on  the  pommel  of  his  saddle,  for  the  confiscated  possessions  of  Sir  Walter  Coppinger,  an  Irish  gentleman 
residing  at  Lisnabrin  near  Tallow.  It  is  added,  that  upon  Croker,  shortly  afterwards,  proceeding  thither  to  claim 
his  newly  acquired  estates,  he  was  met  by  the  fair  daughter  of  the  deposed  Knight,  who  besought  permission 
to  tarry  awhile  with  her  aged  father  within  their  ancestral  walls,  until  provided  with  another  dwelling,  and 
one  suited  to  their  ruined  fortunes.  The  request  was  granted,  but  the  lady  never  quitted  the  Castle  of 
Lisnabrin,  and  still  found  happiness  there  notwithstanding  that  Cromwell's  officer  became  its  lord.  Though 
the  Crokers  have  since  branched  off  into  many  families  in  Ireland,  Walter,  the  christian  name  of  the  old 
Knight,  remains  peculiar  to  the  direct  line. 

f  As  mentioned  on  a  previous  page,  the  see  of  Waterford  had  that  of  Lismore  united  to  it  in  1363.  In 
the  Roman  Catholic  Church  the  diocese  is  now  under  the  charge  of  a  bishop-coadjutor ;  but  the  Protestant 
bishopric  was,  in  accordance  with  the  act  of  1833,  annexed  to  that  of  Cashel  and  Emly  on  the  death  of  the 
then  existing  prelate. 


THE  QUAY  AT  WATERFORD. 


107 


possession,  in  addition  to  its  regular  fortifications,  of  several  private 
fortresses  called  by  the  names  of  their  respective  proprietors,  and  sup- 
posed to  have  been  not  less  than  twenty  in  number.  Its  great  feature 
to  antiquarians,  however,  is  Reginald's  Tower,  a  fine  old  remnant  of 
Danish  architecture,  standing  near  the  lower  end  of  the  quay.  It  is 
named  after  its  founder,  Son  of  Imar,  and  its  history  is  told  in  the 
inscription  on  a  tablet  inserted  over  the  entrance,  which  reads : — "  In 
the  year  1003  this  tower  was  erected  by  Reginald,  the  Dane;  in  1171 
was  held  a  fortress  by  Strongbow,  Earl  of  Pembroke;*  in  1463,  by 
Statute  3,  Edw.  IV.,  a  mint  was  established  here;  in  1819  it  was  re-edified 
in  its  original  form,  and  appropriated  to  the  Police  establishment  by 
the  corporate  body  of  the  City  of  Waterford." 

The  Quay  at  Waterford,  which  extends  for  more  than  a  mile  along 
the  Suir,  and  The  Mall,  which  branches  at  right  angles  from  its  southern 
end,  are  the  only  streets  worth  mentioning  in  the  city.  The  quay 
has  been  described  by  the  Tidal  Harbor  Commissioners  as  the  finest 
in  the  United  Kingdom,  and  always  presents  a  lively  appearance  from 
the  large  exporting  trade  continually  carried  on,  consisting  almost  en- 
tirely of  agricultural  produce,  especially  live-stock.  Steamers  for  Irish, 
English,  and  Scotch  ports,  daily  leave  the  wharves,  which  can  be  ap- 
proached by  vessels  of  2,000  tons  burden.  Many  of  the  principal 
mercantile  houses  line  the  quay  and  command  a  view  of  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river,  where  several  villas  have  been  erected,  beyond  and 
above  which  towers  a  lofty  range  of  hills,  whence  an  excellent  view  is 
obtained  of  the  city  and  its  surroundings.  We  must  not  omit  to  state 
that  Mrs.  Jordan,  the  celebrated  actress,  was  born  in  the  City  of 
Waterford  in  1767;  and  that  on  the  18th  of  January,  181 1,  Charles 
Kean  first  saw  the  light  here. 

Returning  to  the  mouth  of  the  harbor,  we  passed  Dunmore  lying 
in  a  sheltered  nook  inside  the  great  western  headland.  Although  now 
merely   a   bathing    village,    in    past    years    it    was    a    place    of  some 

*  After  the  successful  storming  of  the  town  by  the  English  forces  of  Strongbow,  in  1171,  when  the  city 
was  plundered,  and  all  the  inhabitants  found  in  arms  were  put  to  the  sword,  Reginald,  Prince  of  the  Danes, 
and  Malachy  O'Faelan,  Prince  of  the  Decies,  with  several  other  chiefs  who  had  confederated  to  resist  the 
invaders,  were  imprisoned  here  after  they  were  condemned  to  death.  They  were  saved,  however,  by  the 
intercession  of  Dermot  MacMurrough,  who,  with  many  Welsh  and  English  gentlemen,  came  to  Waterford  to 
be  present  at  the  marriage  of  his  daughter  Eva  to  Earl  Strongbow. 


108 


ALONG  THE  SOUTH-EASTERN  SHORE 


importance,  being  the  Irish  station  for  the  mail-packets  then  plying  to 
Milford  Haven,  for  which  service  a  pier,  now  deserted,  was  erected 
at  a  cost  of  ^100,000.  The  shores  in  the  vicinity  are  extremely 
picturesque,  and  the  natural  caves  formed  by  the  action  of  the  waves 
in  the  stupendous  cliffs,  are  numerous  and  extensive.  Their  present 
tenants  are  marine  birds ;  but  in  former  days  they  are  said  to  have 
afforded  asylums  and  secure  storehouses  to  the  bands  of  smugglers 
that  formerly  infested  this  coast.  On  the  opposite  point  of  the  bay, 
which  is  here  two  and  a  half  miles  wide,  stands  Hook  Lighthouse, 
one  hundred  and  ten  feet  high,  situated  at  the  extremity  of  a  narrow 
peninsula  which  projects  about  four  miles  from  the  main-land,  and 
forms  part  of  the  eastern  shore  of  the  harbor.  It  has  evidently 
been  erected  upon  the  remains  of  an  antique  building,  conjectured, 
by  some,  to  have  been  one  of  the  Round  Towers.  It  is  more  probable, 
however,  that  it  owes  its  origin  to  the  Danes,  who  formed  a  settlement 
at  Waterford  under  their  leader  Yvorus,  and  would  naturally  be  led 
to  erect  a  beacon  or  lighthouse  at  the  entrance  of  the  principal 
sea-port   which    had    come    under   their  sway. 

About  five  miles  from  Hook  Tower  is  Bag-in-bun  Head,  a  small 
promontory,  celebrated  as  the  spot  where  Robert  Fitzstephen  landed, — 
"the  first  of  all  Englishmen,  after  the  Conquest,  that  entered  Ireland," 
as  Hollingshead  quaintly  observes.  In  the  summer  of  1169,  he  em- 
barked at  Milford  Haven,  with  thirty  knights,  sixty  men-at-arms,  and 
three  hundred  archers,  in  three  ships  ;  and,  after  a  speedy  and  pros- 
perous voyage,  landed  at  this  point,  giving  rise  to  the  well-known 
proverb : — 

"At  the  Head  of  Bag-in-bun 
Ireland  was  lost  and  won." 

Bag-in-bun  Head  forms  the  western  extremity  of  Bannow  Bay.  A 
little  distance  from  Fethard,  an  insignificant  fishing  village  on  the 
west  shore  of  this  inlet,  are  the  remains  of  Tintern  Abbey,  founded 
in  1200,  by  the  Earl  of  Pembroke,  son-in-law  of  Strongbow,  in  com- 
memoration of  his  safe  deliverance  from  shipwreck  ;  and  who  not  only 
named  it  after,  but  peopled  it  from  the  more  celebrated  monastery  upon 
the  banks  of  the  Wye,  in  Monmouthshire.  As  a  modern  mansion  is 
formed  out  of  the  chancel,  little  but  the  tower  now  remains  to  identify 


COAST  BETWEEN   WATERFORD  AND  WEXFORD. 


109 


the  ancient  monastic  edifice.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  bay  stood 
the  town  of  Bannow,  which,  two  hundred  years  ago,  consisted  of  no 
less  than  nine  principal  streets  of  well  built  houses,  and  four  centuries 
earlier  was  one  of  the  principal  seaports  of  the  country ;  but  the 
place  has  been  extinguished  either  by  the  depression  of  the  ground, 
or  the  ravages  of  sand,  and  nothing  but  a  ruined  church  now  re- 
mains to  mark  its  site.  At  the  head  of  the  bay  is  an  interesting 
group  of  ruins,  known  as  the  "  Seven  Churches  of  Clonmines,"  but 
really  consisting  of  four  castles  and  an  abbey.  A  town  is  said  to 
have  existed  here  in  the  time  of  the  Danes,  of  sufficient  importance 
to  have  possessed  a  mint,  but  no  traces  of  it  now  remain.  The 
Saltee  Islands,  lying  about  three  miles  from  the  shore,  and  comprising 
about  one  hundred  acres  of  rich  pasturage,  were  a  source  of  danger  to 
mariners  until  a  warning  light  was  placed  among  them  to  mark  their 
position.* 

From  Bannow  Bay  the  coast  is  low,  flat,  and  uninteresting  for 
twenty-five  miles  eastward  to  Tuskar  Lighthouse,  an  object  of  interest 
to  voyagers  beating  up  St.  George's  Channel,  built  on  a  small  island- 
rock,  lying  off  Carnsore  Point,  which  forms  the  south-eastern  angle  of 
Ireland.  Rounding  this  point  we  found  the  shore  to  bend  suddenly 
northward,  and  our  bark  soon  entered  the  picturesque  Harbor  of 
Wexford,  through  a  narrow  inlet.  "It  is  formed,"  says  Mr.  Hay,  "by 
two  narrow  necks  of  land  bending  towards  each  other,  like  two  arms 
closing  after  an  extension  from  the  body,  which  appearance  the  river's 
mouth  assumes  by  its  banks,  not  very  unlike  the  old  Piraeus  of  Athens. 
The   extremities   of  these   peninsulas,    denominated    the    Raven  on  the 

*  The  larger  of  these  islands  derives  a  melancholy  interest  from  the  fact  of  its  having  been  the  place  o: 
concealment,  during  the  Rebellion  of  1798,  and  the  arrest,  on  June  26th  in  that  year,  of  Beauchamp  Bagenal 
Harvey  and  John  Colclough,  gentlemen  of  wealth  and  station  in  Wexford,  and  leaders  of  the  Irish  forces  in 
that  county.  After  the  massacre  at  Scullabogue,  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Colclough,  and  carrying  a  large  store  of 
provisions,  they  fled  hither,  with  the  view  to  an  ultimate  escape  to  France.  Information  of  their  retreat  having 
reached  the  authorities,  a  detachment  of  the  2nd  Royals  was  despatched  in  a  cutter  to  apprehend  them  ;  and 
after  minute  but  fruitless  search  was  about  to  leave  the  island,  when  a  soldier  perceived  smoke  issuing  from  a 
crevice  in  the  rock.  It  was  found  to  proceed  from  a  cave,  the  approach  to  which  was  difficult  and  dangerous  ; 
the  officer  in  command,  therefore,  called  upon  the  inmates  to  surrender,  threatening  that,  if  there  were  no 
answer,  he  would  direct  his  party  to  fire  into  the  cave.  Upon  this,  Mr.  Colclough,  fearing  danger  for  his  wife, 
at  once  appeared,  waving  a  white  handkerchief  fastened  to  the  end  of  a  stick  ;  and  the  two  gentlemen  having 
given  themselves  up  were  conveyed  to  Wexford,  where  they  were  tried  on  the  following  day,  and  executed  the 
day  after. 


110 


ALONG  THE  SOUTH-EASTERN  SHORE. 


north,  and  Roslare  on  the  south,  form  the  entrance  into  the  harbor, 
which  is  about  a  mile  and  a  half  broad,  and  is  defended  by  a  fort  at  the 
point  of  Roslare."  The  bay,  into  which  the  river  Slaney  discharges 
itself,  is  about  eight  miles  in  length  by  three  in  breadth,  and  is  well  de- 
fended from  the  sea ;  but  the  obstruction  of  a  bar  near  the  entrance, 
and  the  shallowness  of  the  water  in  the  harbor,  which  will  not  allow 
vessels  of  more  than  two  hundred  tons  burden  to  enter  it,  has  con- 
siderably lessened  the  commercial  advantages  which  its  proximity  to 
England  would  otherwise  have  commanded.* 

The  town  of  Wexford  is  pleasantly  situated  on  the  side  of  a  hill, 
the  wooded  summit  of  which  overlooks  the  haven  ;  but  its  streets 
are  remarkably  narrow  and  inconvenient.  It  is  a  place  of  great  anti- 
quity, having  been  an  important  settlement  of  the  Danes,  and  one  of 
the  earliest  landing  places  of  the  Anglo-Norman  invaders ;  while  in 
later  years  it  played  an  important  part  in  the  Rebellion  of  1798. 
It  was  granted  a  charter  by  Adomar  de  Valence  in  13 18,  and  the 
town  was  at  one  time  enclosed  within  walls,  traces  of  which  still 
remain.  Near  to  where  the  west  gate  stood  are  the  ruins  of  the  Abbey 
of  St.  Selsker.f  founded  in  the  twelfth  century.  It  is  the  most  inter- 
esting archaeological  relic  in  the  town,  erected  on  the  spot  where  the 
first  treaty  was  signed  with  the  English,  in  1169,  when  the  town 
surrendered  to  Fitz-Stephen.  Cromwell  is  said  to  have  transferred  the 
peal  of  bells  which  belonged  to  this  church  to  one  in  Liverpool,  in  return 

*  According  to  Mr.  Beaufort,  Wexford  derives  it  name  from  the  shallowness  of  its  harbor.  "It  was 
founded,"  he  asserts,  "in  the  ninth  century,  by  a  colony  of  Ostmen,  Danes,  or  Frisians,  on  a  bay  denominated 
Garman,  but  by  them  Waesfiord  or  Washford  ;  which  imports  a  bay  formed  by  the  tide,  but  left  nearly  dry  at 
low-water,  and  in  this  sense  the  same  as  the  English  washes  of  Cambridgeshire  and  Lincolnshire."  During  the 
early  days  of  its  maritime  importance,  when  ships  of  large  burden  were  unknown,  Wexford  was  a  mart  for  the 
disposal  of  the  serfs  or  slaves,  which  the  slave  merchants  purchased  in  England.  "  Here  might  be  seen,"  says 
an  old  monkish  writer,  "whole  ranks  of  fine  young  men  and  beautiful  women,  exposed  to  sale  in  the  slave- 
market  on  the  hill.  They  were  sold  in  part  to  the  Irish  noblesse  and  herdsmen,  while  others  fell  to  the  share 
of  foreign  merchants,  and  were  exhibited  in  the  slave  marts  of  Rome  and  Italy." 

f  This  abbey  was  founded  and  endowed  by  Sir  Alexander  Roche,  of  Atramont,  under  peculiar  circum- 
stances. When  a  young  man,  he  was  induced  by  his  parents  to  join  the  Crusaders,  in  order  that  he  might  be 
separated  from  the  beautiful  daughter  of  a  poor  burg«ss  who  had  won  his  heart,  and  union  with  whom  was 
distasteful  to  them.  On  his  return,  finding  his  parents  dead,  and  himself  a  free  agent,  he  repaired  to  the  young 
woman's  dwelling,  but  only  to  ascertain  that,  believing  him  dead,  she  had  entered  a  convent.  His  despair  at 
this  discovery  led  to  his  founding  this  monastery,  dedicating  it  to  the  Holy  Sepulchre,  and  becoming  its  first 
prior  ;  and  its  original  name  of  St.  Sepulchre  eventually  became  corrupted  into  St.  Selsker. 


BAROXIES  OF  FORTH  AXD  BARGY. 


Ill 


for  which  the  merchants  of  Wexford  were  granted  freedom  of  the  town 
and  exemption  from  port  dues.  Of  the  modern  edifices  the  most 
noteworthy  is  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  of  St.  Peter,  with  its  lofty 
spire  and  elegant  rose  windows ;  it  is  attached  to  a  college  of  the 
same  name,  which,  with  its  square  central  tower,  forms  a  conspicuous 
object  on  Summer  Hill.  A  bridge,  consisting  of  two  causeways  pro- 
jecting from  opposite  banks,  with  a  roadway  of  722  feet  between,  was 
constructed,  like  that  of  Waterford,  bv  Lemuel  Cox,  the  bridge-buildei 
of  Boston,  Mass.  In  the  census  of  1S71  Wexford  had  a  population 
of  11,673,   and   is  a   Parliamentary  borough   returning   one  member. 

The  baronies  of  Forth  and  Bargy,  which  extend  along  the  coast 
between  the  harbor  of  Wexford  and  Bannow  Bay,  are  quite  interesting, 
partly  from  the  number  of  fortified  houses  and  towers  they  contain, 
of  which  there  are  said  to  be  nearly  sixty,  and  partly  from  the  fact 
that  the  baronies  are  inhabited  by  the  descendants  of  Welsh  colonists, 
who  followed  Fitz-Stephen  and  Strongbow  thither ;  these  colonies  being, 
it  is  presumed,  not  of  primitive  Welsh  stock,  but  rather  the  offspring  of 
Xorman,  English,  and  Welsh  families,  who  had  gained  possessions  in 
South  Wales,  and  were  the  adventurers  who  pushed  their  fortunes 
across  the  channel.  The  inhabitants  of  these  baronies  are  peculiar 
in  their  folk-lore,  habits,  and  dialect,  and  General  Yallancey  published 
a  vocabulary  of  their  language,  which  shows  its  close  affinity  to  the 
Anglo-Saxon.  Time,  however,  is  rapidly  assimilating  the  characteristics 
of  the  people  to  those  of  their  neighbors. 

As  it  was  necessary  for  us  to  visit  Kilkenny,  Cashel,  and  other 
inland  points,  we  returned  overland  to  Oueenstown,  at  which  place  we 
promised  to  rejoin  our  yacht,  for  an  extended  cruise  along  the  southern 
and  western  coasts. 


112 


FROM  KILKENNY  TO  Q  UEENSTO  WN. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

FROM  KILKENNY  TO  QUEENSTOWN. 

New  Ross  and  its  Historic  Incidents — Kilkenny,  its  Castle  .and  Cathedral — Round  Tower  and 
other  Antiquities — Its  eminent  Collegians — Amateur  theatricals — Curious  case  of  Witchcraft — 
Cave  of  Dunmore — J er point  Abbey — Valley  of  the  Suir — Slieve-na-man — Racing  for  a 
husband — Clonmel,  the  "  Vale  of  Honey  " — Bianconi  and  his  cars — Donoghmore  and  Fethard 
— Cahir — Caves  of  Mitchelstown — Moat  of  Knockgraffon — Tipperary — The  "Golden  Vale" 
— Rock  of  Cashel — Cashel  Cathedral — Round  Tower — Cormac's  Chapel — Hore  Abbey — Holy 
Cross  Abbey — Thurles — Kilcolman  Castle. 

THOUGH  the  railway  would  have  conveyed  us  in  less  than  three  hours 
from  the  town  of  Wexford  to  the  city  of  Kilkenny,  we  preferred 
stopping  on  the  way  at  Ballywilliam,  for  the  purpose  of  visiting  New 
Ross,  five  miles  distant  from  the  line,  and  a  thriving  borough,  with  a 
population,  according  to  the  last  census,  of  7,132,  returning  one 
member  to  Parliament.  It  is  pleasantly  situated  on  the  border  line 
between  the  counties  of  Kilkenny  and  Wexford,  and  upon  the  banks  of 
the  Barrow,  a  little  distance  below  its  point  of  junction  with  the  Nore, 
and  here  a  majestic  stream  crossed  by  a  long  wooden  bridge,  another 
example  of  the  workmanship  of  the  American  bridge-builder  referred 
to  in  the  last  chapter.  Tradition  ascribes  the  foundation  of  the  town 
to  Rose,  daughter  of  Crume,  King  of  Denmark ;  and  its  walls  to 
another  Rose,  who  was  the  sister  of  Strongbow;  while  it  is  otherwise 
stated  to  have  been  founded,  shortly  after  the  English  invasion,  by 
Isabella,  daughter  of  the  latter,  and  encircled  by  more  than  a  mile  of 
defences.  An  ancient  poem  describing  the  building  of  the  walls  in 
1265,  (necessitated  by  the  dread  felt  by  the  inhabitants,  lest  they  might 
suffer  from  the  feud  then  raging  between  the  chief  of  the  Geraldines 
and  the  Earl  of  Ulster,)  relates  that  different  trades   worked  on  them 


KILKENNY  AND  ITS  HISTORY. 


113 


upon  different  week  days,  and  that  on  Sundays  the  ladies  performed 
their  share  of  the  labor.  New  Ross  was  certainly  a  place  of  im- 
portance in  the  thirteenth  century,  and  enjoyed  considerable  trade  in 
the  early  part  of  the  fifteenth,  when  it  is  said  to  have  obtained  its 
charter  from  Henry  IV.  It  surrendered  to  Cromwell  in  1649,  and  it  was 
the  scene  of  severe  conflicts  in  which  Bagenal  Harvey  played  an  impor- 
tant part  in  the  Rebellion  of  '98.  The  scenery  of  the  surrounding  country 
is  very  beautiful,  while  the  river  being  an  abiding  place  of  salmon  is  nat- 
urally rendered  attractive  to  the  angler.  The  town  does  a  considerable 
export  trade,  and  a  steamboat  plies  daily  down  the  Barrow  to  Waterford. 

The  first  impression  of  Kilkenny  from  a  cursory  glance  is  extremely 
fine,  the  Cathedral  of  St.  Canice,  the  noble  castle,  and  other  very  imposing 
structures,  coming  into  almost  every  view,  from  the  unevenness  of  the 
ground,  and  the  happily  chosen  sites  of  the  edifices.  The  city  is  divided 
into  two  unequal  parts,  called  respectively  Irish-town  (the  neighborhood  of 
the  cathedral)  and  English-town  (that  of  the  castle) — the  former  lying  on 
the  eastern,  and  the  latter  on  the  western  bank  of  the  Nore,  which  is  here 
spanned  by  two  fine  bridges,  from  one  of  which,  St.  John's  bridge,  a  romantic 
view  is  obtained  of  the  castle  of  the  Ormondes.  Kilkenny  (ancient  Cill- 
chainnigJi)  was  founded  by  Strongbow  in  11 72,  and  was  for  a  long  time 
the  capital  of  the  "  Pale,"  or  the  limit  of  English  authority  ;  and  during  the 
succeeding  three  centuries,  dissensions  were  so  frequent  between  the  resi- 
dents of  the  English  and  Irish  towns  that  the  law  had  often  either  to 
interpose  on  behalf  of  the  oppressed  Irish,  or  to  guard  the  rights  of  the 
English.*  Parliaments  have  frequently  been  held  in  the  city,  memorable 
among  which  are  those  of  1309  and  1367,  by  which  stringent  penalties 
were  imposed  upon  the  English  who  "affected  the  fashion  of  the  Irish;" 
and  that  of  the  confederated  Catholics  in  1642,  which  led  to  the  re- 
establishment  of  Roman  Catholicism  in  Ireland.  In  1400,  Kilkenny 
was  surrounded  by  walls,  traces  of  which  are  still  extant.  In  1690, 
William  III.  entered  it  after  the  battle  of  the  Boyne.  The  population  of 
the  city  at  the  time  of  taking  the  last  census,  in  1871,  was  12,667,  and  it 
is  represented  by  one  member  in  the  British  Parliament. 

*  The  famous  legend  of  "The  Kilkenny  Cats,"  which  fought  so  furiously  that  nothing  was  left  of  them  but 
their  tails,  is  an  allegory  of  a  feud  between  the  municipalities  of  Kilkenny  and  Irish-town,  about  their  respective 
boundaries  and  rights,  which  was  continued  to  the  end  of  the  seventeenth  century,  and  resulted  in  their  mutual 
impoverishment  and  in  its  only  legacy  being  the  tales  of  their  dissensions. 
15 


114 


FROM  KILKENNY  TO  Q  UEENSTO  WN. 


Kilkenny  Castle,  the  residence  of  "the  chief  butler  of  Ireland," 
appears  to  have  been  originally  commenced  by  Richard  de  Clare 
(Strongbow)  upon  the  immediate  foundation  of  the  city ;  but,  in  the 
following  year,  1 1 73,  while  still  in  course  of  construction,  it  was  destroyed 
by  Donald  O'Brien,  King  of  Limerick.  It  was,  however,  rebuilt  in  1195 
by  William,  Lord  Marshall,  Earl  of  Pembroke,  in  the  possession  of  whose 
descendants  it  remained  until  the  year  1391,  when  it  was  purchased  by 
James  Butler,  the  third  Earl  of  Ormonde,  and  from  that  time  to  the 
present  it  has  been  the  principal  residence  of  his  illustrious  descendants. 
The  founder  of  this  family  was  Theobald  Walter,  one  of  the  followers 
of  Henry  II.,  who  bestowed  upon  him  some  of  his  newly  acquired 
possessions  in  Ireland,  and  the  office  of  chief  butler  of  Ireland,  which 
station,  with  the  estates,  was  made  hereditary  ;  and  from  this  office  the 
name  of  Le  Botiller,  or  Butler,  is  derived,  the  ancient  family  surname  being 
<  now  a  matter  of  dispute.  In  1399,  the  earl  had  here  the  honor  of  receiv- 
ing King  Richard  II.,  and  of  entertaining  that  sovereign  for  fourteen 
days.  In  March,  1650,  when  the  city  was  invested  by  Oliver  Cromwell, 
and  its  defence  intrusted  to  Sir  Walter  Butler,  the  guns  of  the  former 
were  opened  on  the  castle,  and  a  breach  was  effected  on  the  25th  ;  but 
the  besiegers  were  twice  gallantly  repulsed,  and  the  breach  was  quickly 
repaired.  On  this  occasion  it  was  said  that  Cromwell,  apprehending  a 
longer  resistance  than  suited  the  expedition  necessary  in  his  military 
operations  at  the  time,  was  on  the  point  of  quitting  the  place,  when  he 
received  overtures  from  the  mayor  and  townsmen,  offering  to  admit  him 
into  the  city.  He  accordingly  took  possession  of  Irish-town,  and  being 
soon  after  joined  by  Ireton  with  fifteen  hundred  fresh  men,  Sir  Walter 
Butler,  considering  the  weakness  of  the  garrison,  determined  to  execute 
Lord  Castlehaven's  orders,  which  were,  that  if  not  relieved  by  seven  o'clock 
the  day  before,  he  should  not  expose  the  townsmen  to  be  massacred, 
but  make  as  good  conditions  as  he  could  by  a  timely  surrender.  The  articles 
of  capitulation  were  highly  creditable  to  the  garrison  ;  and  it  is  recorded 
that  Sir  Walter  Butler  and  his  officers,  when  they  marched  out,  were 
complimented  by  Cromwell,  who  told  them  they  were  gallant  fellows;  and 
that  he  had  lost  more  men  in  storming  that  place  than  he  had  in  taking 
Drogheda,  and  that  he  should  have  gone  without  it,  had  it  not  been  for 
the  treachery  of  the  townsmen. 


KILKENNY  CASTLE. 


115 


Of  the  original  castle,  as  rebuilt  by  the  Earl  of  Pembroke,  but  little 
now  remains.  It  was  an  oblong  square  of  magnificent  proportions,  with 
four  lofty  round  towers  at  its  angles.  Towards  the  close  of  the  seven- 
teenth century,  this  castle  was  remodelled  by  the  first  Duke  of  Ormonde 
in  the  bad  style  of  architecture  then  prevailing  on  the  Continent — a  taste 
for  which  the  duke  had  probably  acquired  in  his  repeated  visits  to  France. 
It  retained,  however,  three  of  the  ancient  towers,  but  changed  in  character, 
and  disfigured  by  fantastic  decorations,  to  make  them  harmonize  in  style 
with  the  newer  portions  of  the  building.  These  modifications  were, 
fortunately,  removed  by  the  grandfather  of  the  present  marquis,  and  an 
edifice  of  better  taste,  the  subject  of  our  present  engraving,  erected  on 
the  site,  preserving  the  ancient  towers,  and  restoring  them  to  something 
like  their  original  character ;  and  this  building,  from  the  designs  of  Mr. 
Robertson,  of  Kilkenny,  has  been  recently  subjected  to  restoration.  The 
interior  decorations  are  also  modern  in  style,  but  the  castle  continues  to 
be  adorned  with  its  original  collection  of  ancient  tapestries  and  pictures, 
valuable  as  works  of  art,  but  still  more  as  memorials  of  some  of  the  most 
distinguished  historical,  personages  of  the  two  last  centuries. 

Nothing  can  be  finer  than  the  situation  of  this  castle,  placed  as  it 
is  on  a  lofty  eminence  immediately  overhanging  a  charming  river, 
along  the  banks  of  which,  and  directly  beneath  the  castle,  there  is  a 
very  pleasant  walk.  From  the  turret  a  magnificent  view  is  presented 
of  the  city  and  of  the  winding  Nore  and  its  fertile  valley.  A  singular 
effect,  said  to  be  undiscernible  anywhere  else  in  the  world,  is  here 
exhibited  of  a  large  city,  the  numerous  chimneys  of  whose  houses 
emit    no    smoke — a   marvel  thus  recorded  in  an  old  rhyme  : — 

"  Fire  without  smoke,  earth  without  bog, 
Water  without  mud,  air  without  fog, 
And  streets  paved  with  marble." 

The  first  of  these  advantages  is  attributed  to  the  use  of  anthracite 
coal,  obtained  from  the  mines  of  Castle-comer  and  those  of  South 
Wales.  The  second  and  fifth  result  from  there  being  little  bog  land  in 
the  vicinity,  and  the  streets  being  literally  paved  with  a  black  marble 
quarried  in  the  immediate  neighborhood.  But  however  silvery  the  Nore  may 
have  been  in  the  time  of  the  rhymer,  its  waters  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 


116 


FROM  KILKENNY  TO  Q  UEENSTO  WN. 


city  are  now  scarcely  translucent,  although  it  is  unmistakeable  that  a  vast 
number  of  small  streams  running  into  it  are  as  clear  as  crystal. 

From  the  military  we  crossed  the  Nore  to  the  ecclesiastical  emi- 
nence of  the  town,  the  hill  opposite  the  castle,  crowned  with  the  noble 
Cathedral  of  St.  Canice.  This  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  masses 
of  architecture  in  Ireland.  The  hill  on  which  it  stands  is  crowned 
with  noble  trees,  hiding  and  disclosing  the  old  towers  very  pictur- 
esquely, the  tall  shaft  of  the  famous  Round  Tower  soaring  above  all. 
The  graceful  proportions  of  the  cathedral  give  it  a  lightness  and  ele- 
gance not  common  to  buildings  of  its  capacity — St.  Canice  being 
(among  Irish  churches)  only  inferior  in  size  to  Christ  Church  and 
St.  Patrick's,  in  Dublin.  It  was  commenced  about  the  year  1180,*  by 
Bishop  O'Dullany,  who  translated  the  old  see  of  Ossory,  from  Aghaboe  to 
Kilkenny.f  From  the  vastness  of  the  design  its  authors  could  hardly 
expect  to  see  it  completed,  consequently  they  finished  the  choir  and 
had  it  consecrated,  and  it  was  not  until  two  centuries  had  elapsed  that 
the  noble  plan  was  consummated.  The  sacred  pile  is  cruciform  in 
shape,  extending  two  hundred  and  twenty-six  feet  from  east  to  west, 
and  the  length  of  the  transepts  measuring  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
three  feet.  The  nave  is  distributed  into  a  centre  and  two  lateral 
aisles,  communicating  by  pointed  arches,  springing  from  plain  pillars  of 
black  marble.  Four  pointed  windows  illuminate  each  aisle,  and  the 
upper  part  of  the  nave  is  lighted  by  five  quatrefoil  windows.  The 
tower,  much  too  low  in  proportion  to  the  length  of  the  choir  and 
transept,    is    supported    upon   groined    arches,    springing    from  massive 

*  It  is  presumed  by  some  antiquarians  that  the  present  cathedral  was  erected  upon  the  site  of  a  building 
coeval  with  the  introduction  of  Christianity  into  Ireland  ;  and  they  seem  to  have  no  doubt  that  a  holy  man, 
named  Canice  or  Canicus,  built  somewhere  near  the  present  cathedral  a  cell  from  which,  joined  with  the  name 
of  the  saint,  the  town  aftenvards  took  its  name.  This  latter  opinion  is  supported  by  reference  to  various 
authorities  by  Peter  Shee,  the  historian  of  the  cathedral.  But  to  their  opinions  Dr.  Ledwick  entirely  dissents, 
considering  the  saint  "an  imaginary  personage." 

f  The  bishopric  of  Ossory,  regarded  as  the  most  ancient  in  Ireland,  was  founded  by  St.  Kieran  in  402,  at 
Saighir,  Kings  County,  and  was  transferred  to  Aghaboe  or  Aghavoe,  Queens  County,  in  1052,  and  again  to 
Kilkenny  in  1 180,  as  stated  above.  The  ancient  province  of  Ossory  was  divided  into  Kings  and  Queens 
counties  in  the  sixteenth  century.  According  to  act  of  Parliament  passed  in  1833,  the  Protestant  sees  of  Ferns 
and  Leighlin  became  united  to  Ossory,  on  the  death  of  the  bishop  of  the  former  in  1835.  In  the  Roman 
Catholic  church,  however,  Ossory  and  Ferns  remain  distinct  dioceses,  while  the  see  of  Leighlin  is  now  united 
to  that  of  Kildar*. 


CATHEDRAL   OF  ST.  CAN  ICE. 


11? 


columns  of  marble.  The  western  window  is  triplicated,  and  a  cross 
and  two  Gothic  finials  crown  the  centre  and  angles  of  the  great 
gable.  The  choir  extends  seventy-seven  feet  in  length,  and  is  unin- 
terrupted in  its  simple  grandeur  by  any  of  the  trifling,  though  not 
unusual,  decorations  of  cathedral  churches.  St.  Mary's  Chapel,  now 
used  as  a  parish  church,  is  situated  to  the  north  of  the  choir,  and  com- 
municates with  the  north  transept ;  and  the  chapter-house  and  bishop's 
court  occupy  corresponding  positions  on  the  south. 

The  present  condition  of  the  cathedral  reflects  much  credit  upon  the 
later  incumbents  of  the  see  of  Ossory.  The  venerable  structure  suf- 
fered greatly  during  the  wars  of  the  seventeenth  century ;  and  the 
whole  of  the  interior  remained  in  a  state  of  dilapidation,  and  was 
rapidly  sinking  into  decay,  until  1756,  when  Bishop  Pococke,  on  being 
advanced  to  the  see  of  Ossory,  raised  and  set  up  the  inverted  monu- 
ments, restored  the  shattered  walls,  and  re-edified  the  whole  structure, 
being  aided  thereto  by  generous  subscriptions.  A  more  recent  restor- 
ation of  the  cathedral  was  commenced  in  1865,  and  completed  under 
the  superintendence  of  Mr.  T.  N.  Deane,  architect.  It  is  recorded 
that  about  13 18,  the  eastern  window  was  embellished  with  stained  glass 
of  so  much  beauty  that  Rimini,  a  nuncio  of  the  pope,  offered  £100 
for  it  to  Bishop  Roth  and  the  chapter,  which  they,  valuing  their 
honor  above  gold,  very  properly  refused.  During  Cromwell's  usurpation, 
his  fanatic  followers  demolished  this  window,  allowing  but  few  fragments 
to  elude  their  sacrilegious  hands ;  these  Dr.  Pococke  gathered,  and 
caused  to  be  inserted  in  the  window  above  the  western  door.  Bishop 
Pococke  died  in  the  see  of  Meath,  to  which  he  was  translated  from 
that  of  Ossory ;  but  his  public  services,  his  eminent  virtues,  and  great 
learning,  are  rewarded  with  an  honorable  gratitude  by  the  erection  here 
of  a  cenotaph,  bearing  a  feelingly-written  inscription  to  his  memory. 
He  not  only  caused  those  permanent  repairs  which  a  continuation  of 
existence  demanded,  but  exercised  a  vigilance  in  the  detection  of  every 
fragment  of  antiquity  in  the  cathedral  that  had  escaped  the  ravages  of 
time  or  barbarity. 

The  chair  or  throne  of  St.  Kieran,  a  stone  seat  with  arms  ot 
upright  stone  having  a  graceful  curve,  stands  in  the  north  transept. 
This  patriarch  is  believed  to  have  preceded  St.  Patrick  in  his  holy  mission 


118 


FROM  KILKENNY  TO  Q  UEENSTO  WN. 


by  thirty  years,  and  to  have  been  the  first  to  preach  Christianity 
in  Ireland.  Under  the  second  window  from  the  vestibule  is  a  monu- 
ment to  the  memory  of  Bishop  Walshe,  the  unhappy  manner  of  whose 
death  has  been  unnoticed  in  the  inscription.  In  the  year  1585,  he 
cited  one  James  Dullard,  a  profligate  wretch,  to  appear  in  his  court, 
and  reply  to  a  charge  of  adultery  ;  but  the  monster  answered  the 
citation  by  breaking  into  the  palace  of  the  bishop,  and  stabbing  him 
to  the  heart  with  a  skean.  He  then  fled  into  Troy's  Wood,  and 
uniting  himself  to  the  banditti  that  infested  the  vicinity,  stated  the 
mode  in  which  he  had  qualified  himself  for  his  new  vocation  ;  but  the 
brigands  were  so  shocked  at  his  crimes,  and  so  disgusted  with  his 
confidence,  that  they  formally  tried  him,  found  him  guilty  on  his  own 
confession,  twisted  a  gad  around  his  neck,  and  hung  him  from  a  tree 
in  the  forest. 

There  are  in  the  cathedral  many  sepulchral  honors  to  the  memory 
of  the  ancient  and  illustrious  house  of  Butler,  notable  among  which 
we  may  mention  that  of  Peter  Butler,  eighth  Earl  of  Ormonde,  who 
died  in  1539,  and  his  haughty  countess,  Lady  Margaret  Fitzgerald, 
whose  memory  is  perpetuated  by  the  Irish,  under  the  name  of 
Moryhyhead  Ghearhodh.  This  extraordinary  lady,  inheriting  the  martial 
spirit  of  her  ancestors,  was  always  attended  by  numerous  vassals,  well 
clothed  and  accoutred,  and  composing  a  formidable  army.  She  had 
several  strong  castles  within  the  limits  of  her  territory,  of  which  that 
at  Ballyragget  was  her  favorite  citadel.  Near  to  the  cathedral  are 
the  bishop's  palace  and  the  chapter-house,  as  well  as  the  Well  of 
St.  Canice,  which  is  still  held  in  great  repute,  its  water,  on  the  hottest 
day,  being  said  to  possess  an  icy  coldness. 

Close  to  the  south  transept  of  the  cathedral  stands  the  Round  Tower, 
in  good  preservation,  one  hundred  and  eight  feet  high  and  forty-seven 
in  circumference  at  the  base  and  with  its  entrance,  facing  the  south,  eight  feet 
from  the  ground.  This  tower  has  some  features  differing  from  those  of 
similar  structures,  one  being  the  width  of  the  windows,  of  which  there  are 
six  at  the  summit,  two  beyond  the  usual  number,  and  between  which 
and  the  door  five  square  openings  are  placed.  Not  far  distant  are 
the  ruins  of  the  Franciscan  Monastery,  which  have  been  degraded  in 
turn  to  the  uses  of  a  tennis-court  and  a  brewery.     The  Dominican  or 


PUBLIC  EDIFICES  OF  KILKENNY. 


119 


Black  Abbey,  also  situated  in  Irish-town  and  founded  in  1225,  has  been 
rescued  from  the  grasp  of  the  despoiler,  and  restored  to  the  services 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  The  parish  Church  of  St.  John  in 
the  same  district,  was  formerly  the  hospital  of  St.  John,  founded  by 
William,  Earl  of  Pembroke,  in  1220,  but  used  as  barracks  prior  to  its 
restoration.  Its  peculiarity  is  the  number  and  extreme  beauty  of  its 
windows,  which  have  obtained  for  it  the  name  of  the  "  Lantern  of 
Ireland."  The  choir  still  remains  unrenovated.  It  would  be  impossible, 
however,  to  notice  all  the  remnants  of  antiquity  still  to  be  found 
in  Kilkenny.  "There  is,  perhaps,  no  city  in  Ireland,"  say  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Hall,  "  so  full  of  striking,  interesting,  and — notwithstanding  the 
unseemly  localities  in  which  they  are,  for  the  most  part,  situated — 
picturesque  ruins  as  Kilkenny.  Our  way  was  guided  through  numerous 
alleys  and  by-lanes,  to  examine  relics  of  the  olden  time :  we  found 
wretched  hovels  propped  up  by  carved  pillars  ;  and  in  several  instances 
discovered  Gothic  door-ways  converted  into  entrances  to  pig-sties. 
Ruins  of  abbeys,  churches,  castles,  and  castellated  houses,  are  to  be 
encountered  in  every  quarter." 

In  all  views  of  the  city,  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  features  is 
the  noble  gray  limestone  tower  of  the  new  Roman  Catholic  Cathedral,  which 
is,  like  the  more  ancient  cathedral,  cruciform  in  shape,  having  a  lofty  apse, 
and  is  considered  to  be  by  far  .  the  handsomest  building  of  the  kind  in 
Ireland.  Another  Roman  Catholic  structure  worthy  of  special  notice  is 
the  College  dedicated  to  St.  Kieran — a  modern  Gothic  building  situated  on 
the  Clonmel  road. 

Kilkenny  has  long  borne  an  enviable  reputation  in  the  annals  ot 
education.  The  Bittlers  Grammar  School,  founded  in  the  sixteenth 
century,  was  endowed  by  the  Duke  of  Ormonde  in  1684,  and  made  a 
royal  college  by  King  James.  It  takes  high  rank  among  like  institutions; 
and  well  it  may,  when  it  is  considered  that  it  enrols  among  its  alumni 
such  names  as  Congreve,  Farquhar,  Dean  Swift,  Bishop  Berkeley,  and 
Harris,  the  antiquary.  While  within  the  demesne  of  literature  we  may  add 
that  it  is  no  light  honor  to  Kilkenny  that  it  was  the  birthplace  of  Banim, 
who  stands  in  the  head  rank  of  his  country's  novelists,  and  has  been,  not 
inaptly,  termed  the  "  Irish  Walter  Scott."  During  nearly  the  entire  first 
score  years  of  the  present  century,  the  city  was  noted  as  being  the  scene 


120 


FROM  KILKENNY  TO  Q  UEENSTO  WN. 


of  private  theatricals  in  which  several  men  of  mark  and  several  profes- 
sional ladies  of  celebrity  took  part,  the  former  including  Thomas  Moore 
in  its  number,  and  the  latter  Miss  O'Neil,  who  retired  from  the  stage, 
in  1819,  upon  her  marriage  with  Sir  Wrixon  Becher,  one  of  the  amateur 
performers  at  these  entertainments.  The  theatrical  season  invariably  drew 
to  the  city  a  vast  assemblage  of  rank  and  talent,  which  led  the  streets  to 
be  "  thronged  with  chariots  and  horses,  and  parties  of  ladies  riding  single 
gave  a  most  agreeable  effect  to  the  aspect  of  the  town." 

Kilkenny  is  also  famous  as  being  the  scene  of  some  persecutions  for 
witchcraft,  which  find  a  parallel  in  the  horrors  enacted  at  Salem,  in 
Massachusetts.  The  most  remarkable  case  is  that  of  one  Dame  Alice 
Kettyl,  who,  it  is  authoritatively  stated,  was  early  in  the  fourteenth  century 
summoned  before  the  Bishop's  Court  to  answer  the  charge  of  practising 
magic,  sorcery,  and  witchcraft ;  and,  with  her  maids  Petronilla  and  Basilia, 
was  accused  of  holding  nightly  conferences  with  an  imp,  or  evil  spirit, 
called  Robin  Artysson,  to  whom,  in  order  to  obtain  his  aid,  they  sacrificed 
on  the  highway  nine  red  cocks,  and  the  eyes  of  nine  peacocks.  Dame 
Alice,  it  is  further  said,  caused  this  imp  and  his  associates,  to  sweep  the 
streets  of  Kilkenny  every  night  between  "  the  hours  of  complin-prayer 
and  daybreak;"  not,  however,  for  the  purpose  of  sweetening  the 
town  and  making  it  agreeable,  but  for  the  good  of  her  greedy  son,  one 
William  Utlan — a  land-pirate  who  monopolized  the  town-parks,  and 
grasped  at  great  possessions — to  whose  door  the  cunning  mother  had  the 
filth  of  the  city  raked,  so  that  he  might  manure  his  meadows  with  it.  Such 
of  the  inhabitants  as  ventured  abroad  at  late  hours  heard  unearthly 
brooms  plying  over  the  causeway,  and  saw  fearful-looking  scavengers  at 
their  dirty  work,  scouring  away  to  the  slow  chorus : — 

"  To  the  house  of  William,  my  son, 
Hie  all  the  wealth  of  Kilkenny  town." 

Beyond  this,  the  chroniclers  assert  that  Dame  Alice  surpassed  even  Cap- 
tain Freney,  the  robber,  and  his  Kellymount  gang,  in  riding  amid  the 
darkness  of  night ;  for  immediately  upon  the  nine  peacocks'  eyes  being 
cast  into  the  fire,  up  rose  Robin  the  imp,  and  presented  her  with  a  pot 
of  ointment,  with  which  she  oiled  her  broomstick,  and  then  briskly 
mounting  it,  and  accompanied  by  her  maids,  Petronilla  and  Basilia,  per- 
formed a  night's  journey  in   a  minute,  in  order  to  hold  a  Sabbat  with 


ANCIENT  TRIALS  FOR  WITCHCRAFT. 


121 


other  enchanters  on  the  Devil's  Bit,  in  the  county  of  Tipperary.  The 
accused  were  all  convicted ;  but  the  Dame  having  powerful  friends  was 
merely  sentenced  to  pay  a  fine  and  abjure  sorcery.  Returning,  how- 
ever, to  her  old  pranks,  she  found  it  prudent  to  escape  to  the  Continent 
in  company  with  her  maid  Basilia.  But  Petronilla,  less  fortunate,  was 
burnt  at  the  stake  near  the  cross  of  Kilkenny,  declaring,  previously,  that 
William  Utlan  was  a  confederate,  and  had  worn  the  devil's  girdle  round 
his  body  for  a  twelve-month  and  a  day;  yet  Utlan's  life  was  spared 
on  condition  of  his  covering  the  roof  of  St.  Mary's  church  with  lead. 
On  searching  the  Dame's  closet  after  her  flight,  says  Hollinshed,  they 
found  a  sacramental  wafer  having  Satan's  name  stamped  thereon,  and  a 
pot  of  ointment  with  which  she  greased  her  staff,  and  was  thus  enabled 
to  amble  and  gallop  through  thick  and  thin  and  in  fair  weather  and  foul. 

Mr.  Crofton  Croker,  in  a  letter  on  this  subject  published  in  the 
"  Dublin  Penny  Journal,"  considers  this  trial,  perhaps  one  of  the  earliest 
on  record,  to  have  been  an  act  of  ecclesiastical  persecution,  having  for 
its  object  the  extortion  of  money  for  the  roofing  of  the  church  with 
lead ;  and  adds  that  the  connection  with  the  fairy  creed  is  obvious 
from  the  name  of  the  evil  spirit,  as  every  Irish  scholar  will  perceive 
that  Artysson  when  translated  means  chicken-flesh,  while  Robin  is  a 
familiar  name  in  fairy-lore.  Mr.  Croker,  in  conclusion,  justly  remarks  : — 
"  Ireland  has  been,  in  my  opinion,  unjustly  stigmatized  as  a  barbarous 
and  superstitious  country.  It  is  certain  that  the  cruel  persecution 
carried  on  against  poor  and  ignorant  old  women  was  as  nothing  in 
Ireland  when  compared  with  other  countries.  In  addition  to  the  three 
executions  at  Kilkenny,  a  town  the  inhabitants  of  which  were  -  almost 
entirely  either  English  settlers,  or  of  English  descent,  I  only  remember 
to  have  met  with  an  account  of  one  other  execution  for  the  crime  of 
witchcraft.  This  latter  took  place  at  Antrim,  in  1699,  and  it  is,  I 
believe,  the  last  on  record.  The  particulars  of  this  silly  tragedy  were 
printed  in  a  pamphlet  entitled  'The  Bewitching  of  a  Child  in  Ireland,' 
and  from  thence  copied  by  Professor  Sinclair  in  his  work  entitled 
'Satan's  Invisible  World  Discovered,'  which  is  frequently  referred  to  by 
Sir  Walter  Scott  in  his  '  Letters  on  Demonology.' " 

Three  or  four  miles  to  the  north  of  Kilkenny  is  the  Cave  of 
Dunmore,  introduced   by  Banim   into  his  novel  "  Crohore  of  the  Bill- 

16 


FROM  KILKENNY  TO  Q  UEENSTO  WN. 


hook."  The  visitor  after  descending  a  large  oval  pit,  evidently  the 
result  of  the  depression  of  the  surface,  enters  an  irregularly  shaped 
cavern  of  considerable  circumference,  with  the  roof  fifty  feet  high  and 
the  floor  sloping  downwards.  A  narrow  passage  then  leads  by  a 
slippery  path  to  an  inner  chamber  where  the  eye  is  attracted  by  a 
.variety  of  stalactitic  forms,  which  the  imagination  compares  to  those  of 
different  objects.  After  this  the  cave  narrows  and  again  widens  into 
a  third  large  apartment,  with  beyond  cavities  and  winding  passages 
which  it  is  reported  run  out  even  as  far  as  the  castle  at  Kilkenny. 
There  passes  through  the  cave,  at  some  distance  from  its  mouth,  a 
stream  of  water  near  which,  and  in  other  parts  far  within  the  cavity, 
there  have  been  found  a  number  of  skulls  and  bones,  some  of  them 
enveloped  in  calcareous  spar. 

On  the  line  of  railway  to  Waterford,  and  about  a  dozen  miles 
from  Kilkenny,  is  Thomastown,  named  after  its  founder,  Thomas 
Fitzanthony,  one  of  the  earliest  of  the  English  settlers.  It  is  pleas- 
antly situated  upon  the  Nore,  and  was  once  a  walled  town  and  a 
place  of  importance,  owing  to  the  river  being,  until  a  late  date,  so  far 
navigable.  It  contains  some  ruins,  but  these  have  little  import  com- 
pared with  Jerpoint  Abbey,  which  is  situated  in  the  immediate 
neighborhood,  and  decorates  the  banks  of  the  same  "stubborn  Nore." 
This  abbey  was  founded  in  1180,  for  Cistercian  monks,  by  Donogh 
McGilla-Patrick,  Prince  of  Ossory.  The  abbot  is  recorded  to  have 
been  a  peer  of  Parliament,  and  the  abbey  in  wealth  and  architectural 
grandeur  to  have  stood  the  fourth  in  rank  among  the  mitred  abbeys 
of  Ireland.  The  demesne  lands  extended  over  6500  acres  of  fertile 
ground,  and  the  buildings  included  the  abbey-church  and  tower,  a 
refectory,  dormitory,  and  offices,  occupying  an  area  of  three  acres. 
The  whole  of  this  property,  bequeathed  for  objects  purely  sacred,  was 
granted  at  the  dissolution,  in  1540,  to  Thomas  Butler,  tenth  Earl  of 
Ormonde,  at  an  annual  rent  of  ^49  $s.  gd. 

The  style  of  architecture  of  the  abbey  combines  the  Anglo-Norman 
and  Early  English,  and  those  parts  that  survive,  display  a  beauty  and 
perfection  not  inferior  to  anything  of  coeval  structure  in  the  kingdom ; 
but,  from  neglect  and  barbarity,  this  most  splendid  ruin  has  been 
so  injured  and  polluted,  that  at   one  time   the  proportions  of  its  vast 


ELV.YS  OF  JERPOIXT  ABBEY. 


123 


choir  and  wide-spread  arches,  the  shattered  frames  of  the  richly  traced 
windows,  with  the  mouldering  fragments  of  sepulchral  monuments,  were, 
we  are  informed,  imbedded  in  such  a  surface  of  mire  and  filth,  as  to 
prohibit  ingress  or  inspection.  But,  fortunately,  before  it  was  too  late,  the 
Kilkenny  Archaeological  Society,  one  of  those  local  institutions  that  are 
doing  so  much  to  preserve  the  relics  of  antiquity  which  adorn  the  British 
Isles,  has  taken  these  venerable  ruins  under  its  protection,  and  rescued 
them  from  the  degraded  position  into  which  they  had  fallen.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Hall  remark  of  these  relics,  that  "  they  stand  alone  in  their  mag- 
nificence ;  there  is  no  object  within  ken  to  distract  the  attention — nothing 
to  disturb  the  imagination  in  recalling  them  to  their  condition  of  wealth 
and  splendor,  to  contrast  it,  after  a  while,  with  their  fallen  state,  as  we 
pace  through  dilapidated  aisles,  among  broken  sculptured  sepulchres  of  the 
ancient  lords,  or  '  close-packed '  graves  of  the  poor  peasants  of  yesterday." 
To  which  we  may  add  the  impressions  of  a  poetical  visitor : — 

I  gaze  where  Jerpoint's  venerable  pile, 

Majestic  in  its  ruins,  o'er  me  lowers  : 
The  worm  now  crawls  through  each  untrodden  aisle, 

And  the  bat  bides,  within  its  time-worn  towers." 

And  not  the  least  charm  in  the  picturesque  aspect  of  these  ruins  is 
their  position  on  a  beautiful  stream,  which,  to  use  the  language  of  the 
poet  just  quoted,  "  makes  lonely  music  in  its  flow  "  as  it  journeys  onward 
to  its  junction  with  the  Barrow  : — 

"  Thy  stream,  thou  lovely  river !  thine,  sweet  Nore  ! 
Flowing,  though  all  around  thee  feel  decay  : 
Thy  banks  still  verdant  as  in  days  of  yore, 

Through  the  same  plains  dry  crystal  waters  stray." 

A  journey  by  rail  of  a  score  miles  southward  took  us  to  the  station  on 
the  Suir,  opposite  Waterford  ;  but,  as  we  had  already  visited  that  city,  we 
at  once  proceeded  in  a  westerly  direction  upon  the  railway  which  passes 
up  the  valley,  and  skirts  the  northern  shore  of  that  river  to  Clonmel,  a 
distance  of  twenty-eight  miles  from  Waterford.  The  Suir,  whose  banks 
are  here  beautifully  wooded  and  have  upon  them  many  a  crumbling  and 
moss-grown  ruin,  separates  the  counties  of  Waterford  and  Kilkenny  to 
within  a  short  distance  of  Carrick-on-Suir,  about  midway  between  Waterford 
and  Clonmel,  and  then  the  county  of  Tipper^ry  lines  its  northern,  while 


124 


FROM  KILKENNY  TO  QUEENSTOWN. 


that  of  Waterford  continues  to  extend  along  its  southern  bank.  -  Soon 
after  re-entering  Munster  we  passed  Carrick,  prettily  situated  on  the  river,  and 
had  a  glimpse  of  the  old  castle  of  the  Ormondes,  built  in  1309,  and  the  ivy- 
covered  antique  bridge.  The  line  continues  to  run  parallel  to  the  beautiful 
flowing  stream,  and  as  it  approaches  Clonmel  the  valley  becomes  exceedingly 
picturesque,  its  southern  slope  being  composed  of  the  wooded  spurs  of 
the  Commeragh  mountains,  which  closely  approach  the  stream,  while  on 
its  north  rises  Slieve-na-man,  a  solitary  conical  mountain,  2362  feet  high, 
which,  like  many  other  of  the  Irish  peaks,  has  a  story  of  its  own  to  tell. 
The  proper  Irish  name  of  the  latter  is  Sliabh-na-mJian-Fionn-na-Heirm, 
"the  mountain  of  the  fair  women  of  Ireland,"  attributed  to  this  hymeneal 
incident  :  Fin  Mac  Cual  (the  reputed  father  of  Ossian,  and  the  Fingal  of 
Macpherson's  poem),  puzzled  as  to  which  of  the  fair  daughters  of  Erin  he 
should  select  for  a  wife,  caused  all  the  beauties  of  the  land  to  assemble 
at  the  foot  of  this  mountain,  and  take  part  in  a  race  for  his  hand.  Tak- 
ing his  seat  on  the  Druid's  altar  that  crowns  its  summit,  he  gave  a 
signal  for  the  test  of  speed  and  wind,  and  off  started  the  fair  ones — 
"  away,  away,  they  went,  through  wood,  and  heath,  and  furze,  over  crag 
and  mountain  stream  ;  all  obstacles  appeared  nought  with  such  a  prize  in 
view  " — and  Graine,  the  daughter  of  Cormac,  monarch  of  Ireland,  having 
proved  herself  the  fleetest,  secured  the  hand  of  the  Fenian  chief.  This 
mountain  is  also  celebrated  by  Ossian  as  the  scene  of  the  most  renowned 
hunting-match  of  the  Fenians. 

Clonmel  is  situated  on  both  sides  of  the  Suir,  here  crossed  by  a  bridge 
of  twenty  arches,  and  on  Moire  and  Long  Islands,  connected  with  the 
mainland  by  three  bridges.  The  origin  of  the  name  is  fancifully  attributed 
to  the  Tuatha-de-dannans,  a  primitive  Irish  race,  who  were  guided  in  the 
selection  of  a  settlement  by  a  swarm  of  bees  which  they  let  off  for  the 
purpose,  and  these  resting  here,  a  baile  or  circular  fort  was  erected,  and 
the  spot  received  the  significant  name  of  Cluain-mealla,  or,  the  "  Plain  of 
Honey."  The  fort  afterwards  gave  way  to  a  castle  and  fortifications,  before 
which  Cromwell  sustained  the  severest  repulse  he  met  with  in  Ireland. 
Its  defenders,  failing  in  ammunition,  were  compelled  to  fire  away  their 
buttons,  and  it  is  said  that  the  Protector,  after  deciding  to  raise  the  siege, 
renewed  the  attack  on  finding  a  silver  bullet,  which  impressed  him  with 
the  belief  that  the  garrison  was  driven  to  straits  that  would  soon  compel 


CLONMEL,   THE  "  VALE  OF  HONEY: 


125 


it  to  surrender.  Clonmel  had  a  population  of  11,104  in  1871,  returns 
one  member  to  Parliament,  and  is  principally  situated  in  Tipperary,  of 
which  county  it  is  the  largest  town,  and  the  place  for  holding  the  assizes 
of  the  South  Riding.  The  town  received  its  charter  in  1608,  although  in- 
corporated much  earlier.  The  manufacture  of  woolen  goods  was  introduced 
in  1667,  by  the  Duke  of  Ormonde,  then  Lord-Lieutenant,  who  brought  five 
hundred  Walloons  over  from  Canterburv,  but  the  manufacture  declined  at 
the  Revolution.  The  old  church  is  an  interesting  edifice,  and  is  pictur- 
esquely overshadowed  by  trees,  while  the  churchyard  is  surrounded  by 
remains  of  the  old  walls,  with  square  towers  at  intervals.  The  west  gate, 
the  only  one  left  out  of  four,  has  been  preserved  and  stands  at  the 
entrance  of  the  main  street.  The  town  lays  claim  to  being  the  birth- 
place of  Lawrence  Sterne,  the  humorous  divine,  and  the  Countess  of 
Blessington,  the  popular  authoress.  It  was  here,  also,  that  the  trial  of 
Smith  O'Brien  for  high  treason  took  place  in  1848.  In  Clonmel,  too, 
was  started  the  system  of  cheap  and  expeditious  car  traveling  which 
conferred  such  a  benefit  upon  the  country.  The  originator,  Mr.  Bianconi, 
a  native  of  Milan,  in  Italy,  settled  in  this  place  early  in  the  century 
as  a  framer  of,  and  dealer  in  pictures  ;  and  having  by  industry  and 
frugality  amassed  a  little  money,  he,  in  181 5,  conceived  the  idea  of 
running  a  car  to  Cahir.  to  accomodate  those  who  could  not  afford  to 
travel  bv  mail-coach.  From  this  little  beg-inningr  branched  forth  the 
system  so  popular  with  travelers  in  the  south  and  west  of  Ireland, 
carrying,  as  it  has  been  truly  observed,  "  civilization  and  letters  into 
some  of  the  wildest  haunts  of  the  rudest  races  in  Erin's  Isle;"  and 
gaining  for  the  introducer  the  respect  and  esteem  of  his  fellow-towns- 
men, by  whom  he  was  repeatedly  elected  mayor. 

The  situation  of  Clonmel  is  extremely  picturesque,  the  Suir  is  here 
a  broad  and  rapid  stream,  and  the  surrounding  country  is  a  blending 
of  Alpine  and  pastoral  scenery.  The  Commeragh  mountains,  which 
shelter  it  on  the  south  and  seem  to  terminate  the  streets,  extend  far 
into  the  county  of  YVaterford,  and  "  are  inhabited  by  a  people  identical 
with  the  Cumraeg  of  Wales  and  Cumberland,  and  the  Cimri  of  antiquity, 
so  formidable  to  the  Romans."  There  are  many  delightful  sylvan 
walks  by  the  side  of  the  town  and  near  the  river's  brim  that  well 
merit   the  poetical  names   by  which  they  are   designated,  the  principal 


126 


FROM  KILKENNY  TO  QUEENS  TOWN. 


being  the  Wilderness,  the  Round  of  Heywood,  the  Green,  and  Fairy- 
hill  Road. 

The  ruined  church  of  Donoghmore,  a  few  miles  to  the  north-east  of 
Clonmel,  is  one  of  the  oldest  edifices  in  Ireland,  presenting  a  com- 
bination of  Pagan  and  Saxon  architecture;  its  situation,  "in  keeping 
with  its  aspect,  being  lonely  and  wild  but  not  melancholy."  Six  miles 
to  the  north  of  Clonmel,  and  near  to  Slieve-na-man,  is  the  small  and 
ancient  town  of  Fethard,  built  in  the  time  of  King  John,  and  mainly 
remarkable  for  the  preservation  of  its  fortifications,  castles,  and  gate- 
ways. Before  the  Union,  the  town  was  represented  in  the  Irish  Parliament, 
the  patronage  being  in  the  O'Callaghan  family,  and  its  ambition  is 
exhibited  in  its  being  governed  "by  a  sovereign,  twelve  chief  burgesses, 
portreeve,  and  an  indefinite  number  of  freemen,  assisted  by  a  recorder, 
town-clerk,  sergeant-at-mace,  and  other  officers." 

A  few  miles  west  of  Clonmel,  the  railway  leaves  the  vicinity  of  the 
Suir,  which  here  makes  a  detour  to  the  south,  but  eleven  miles  from 
Clonmel  it  comes  upon  it  again,  flowing  from  north  to  south,  and 
crosses  it  at  Cahir,  a  small  but  thriving  town  in  the  midst  of  a 
grain-growing  district.  The  produce  of  the  land  affords  here  employ- 
ment to  several  flour-mills  mainly  belonging  to  members  of  the  Society 
of  Friends,  who  long  ago  settled  in  this  part  of  the  country.  The 
ivy-clad  castle  was  originally  built  in  1142  by  Connor,  King  of 
Thomond,  and  was  taken  by  the  Earl  of  Essex  in  1599,  by  Murroch 
O'Brien  Lord  Inchiquin  in  1647,  and  again  by  Cromwell  in  1650. 
It  is  picturesquely  situated  on  a  rock,  is  of  irregular  outline  con- 
sequent upon  its  adaptation  to  the  form  of  its  insular  site,  and  con- 
sists of  a  great  square  keep  and  extensive  outworks,  flanked  by  seven 
towers,  which  during  the  present  century  have  been  very  judiciously 
put  into  thorough  repair.  This  castle,  however,  is  said  to  occupy  the 
site  of  a  structure  of  very  remote  antiquity — its  ancient  name  being 
Cahir-duna-ascaigh,  or  The  circular  stone  fortress  of  the  fish-abounding 
Dun,  or  fort,  which  would  seem  to  indicate  that  an  earthen  Dun  or  fort, 
had  originally  occupied  the  site  on  which  a  Cahir,  or  stone  fort,  was 
erected  subsequently. 

From  Cahir  we  made  an  excursion  to  the  celebrated  Caves  of 
Mitchelstown,  situated  ten  miles  to  the  south-west,  and  half-a-dozen  miles 


CAVES  OF  MITCHELSTOWN. 


127 


short  of  the  town  which  gives  them  their  name,  our  roads  being  over  a 
wild  country,  but  giving  us  grand  views  of  the  valley  of  the  Suir,  and  of  the 
Knockmeiledown  and  Galtee  ranges  which  respectively  bounded  the  horizon 
on  our  left  and  right.  Between  these  chains  are  two  small  hills  of  gray 
limestone,  which  mark  the  locations  of  the  old  and  new  caves,  the  former 
of  which  has  been  almost  forsaken  since  the  discovery  of  the  latter  in 
1%3o  by  a  quarryman  whose  crowbar  dropping  from  his  hands  led  to  a 
search  which  revealed  this  hidden  national  wonder.  Guides  and  over -all- 
dresses  having  been  first  provided  at  a  public  house  some  little  distance 
from  the  mouth,  the  new  cave  is  entered  midway  up  the  side  of  the  hill 
and  about  sixty  feet  above  the  level  of  the  road.  A  narrow  sloping 
passage,  about  four  feet'  in  height,  and  between  thirty  and  forty  in 
length,  terminates  in  an  almost  vertical  precipice,  fifteen  feet  deep, 
which  is  descended  by  a  ladder.  Then,  after  passing  for  250  feet 
through  a  lane  of  gray  limestone,  a  sudden  turn  exhibits  the  lower 
middle  cave  in  all  its  beauty  and  grandeur,  but  to  be  shortly  afterwards 
surpassed  by  the  upper  middle  cave,  reached  through  a  passage  of 
sixty  feet,  varying  in  height  and  breadth  from  five  to  fourteen  feet 
From  these  caves,  passages,  ranging  from  twenty  to  thirty-five  feet  in 
height,  extend  in  different  directions  to  numerous  other  chambers  ol 
various  dimensions,  the  principal  of  which  are  distinguished  by  the  guides 
as  the  House  of  Lords,  the  House  of  Commons,  the  Kingston  Gallery, 
O'Leary's  Cave,  O'Callaghan's  Cave,  the  Altar  Cave,  and  Kingsborough 
Hall.  The  stalactites  depending  from  the  roof  and  the  stalagmites 
rising  from  the  floor  are  extremely  beautiful,  and  in  some  places  unite 
and  form  magnificent  columns  of  spar,  while  in  others  they  "  assume 
every  conceivable  shape,  shining  with  the  brilliancy  of  huge  diamonds  as 
the  small  light  of  a  candle  is  thrown  upon  them " — the  shapes  obtaining 
from  their  resemblance  such  names  as  the  Organ,  the  Drum,  the  Pyra- 
mid, etc.  The  "curtains"  which  depend  from  the  roofs  are  "sometimes 
so  transparent  that  the  form  of  a  hand  may  be  seen  through  them  ;  and 
though  of  immense  size,  so  delicate  is  their  construction,  that  they 
actually  vibrate  to  the  touch.  They  hang  in  folds,  as  gracefully  as  if  the 
hand  of  skill  and  taste  had  arranged  their  draperies.  Pools  of  limpid 
water,  here  and  there,  cover  miniature  hillocks  of  crystals — so  minute 
and  sparkling  as  to  seem  congregated  diamonds."     The   extent   of  the 


128 


FROM  KILKENNY  TO  Q  UEENSTO  WN. 


caves  is  from  700  to  800  feet  in  length,  and  about  570  in  breadth,  and  the 
depression  of  the  lowest  chamber  beneath  the  level  of  the  entrance  is 
about  50  feet.  Gerald  Griffin  poetically  remarks  of  a  visit  to  one  of 
these  caverns  :— 

"  Grimly  it  frowned  when  first  with  shuddering  mind 
We  saw  the  far-famed  Cavern's  darkling  womb, 
And  for  that  vault  of  silence  and  of  gloom 
Left  the  fair  day  and  smiling  world  behind. 

"But  what  bright  wonder  hailed  our  eyes  erelong! 
The  crystal  well,  the  sparry  curtained  dome, 
The  sparkling  shafts  that  propped  that  caverned  home, 
And  vaults  that  turned  the  homeliest  sounds  to  song." 

Three  quarters  of  an  hour's  ride  on  the  railway  sufficed  to  take  us 
from  Cahir*  to  the  county  town  of  Tipperary,  pleasantly  situated  at 
the  base  of  the  Slieve-na-muck  or  Tipperary  hills,  a  spur  of  the  Galtee 
range.  It  is  a  comparatively  modern-built  town  of  about  6000  inhab- 
itants, though  it  dates  back  as  far  as  the  time  of  King  John,  who  built 
a  castle  here — its  name  being  derived  from  the  Irish  Tobar-a-neidth,  the 
Well  of  the  Plains,  in  allusion  to  its  situation.  Henry  III.  also  founded 
here  a  monastery  for  Augustinians,  and  an  arched  gateway  of  the  abbey 
is  the  only  remnant  of  antiquity  the  town  possesses. 

The  beauty  of  the  mountains  and  the  robustness  of  the  men  of 
Tipperary  are  equally  remarkable,  and  both  have  formed  subjects  for 
the  pen  of  the  poet.  The  "Hills  of  Sweet  Tipperary"  find  their 
attraction  in  the  emerald  hue  of  their  verdure,  diversified  by  the 
blooming  heather,  whilst  the  size  of  the  native  and  his  strong  attach- 
ment to  his  home  and  prejudices  is  a  popular  theme  of  local  boast  : — 

"  Tall  is  his  form,  his  heart  is  warm, 
His  spirit  light  as  any  fairy, — 
His  wrath  is  fearful  as  the  storm 
That  sweeps  the  hills  of  Tipperary  !  " 

*  On  the  east  bank  of  the  Suir,  a  few  miles  above  Cahir,  and  prominently  visible  to  the  country  around,  is  "  the 
Moat  of  Knockgraffon,"  an  artificial  mound,  rising  about  seventy  feet  above  the  summit  of  a  hill,  with  the  ruins  of 
an  extensive  castle  at  the  base.  It  was  built  in  1108,  and  ranks  among  the  oldest  constructions  of  the  kind  iu 
Ireland,  tradition  stating  that  eighteen  of  the  Kings  of  Munster  were  born  and  reared  within  its  walls.  A  ford  over  the 
Suir  in  the  plain  below  is  pointed  out  as  the  place  where  the  prince  of  Leinster  murdered  Fiacha  Muillathan,  "  of  the 
flat  sconce  "  (whom  he  was  visiting),  in  order  that  he  might  bathe  in  the  blood  of  a  King,  being  informed  that  it  was 
a  remedy  for  the  Evil  with  which  he  was  afflicted.  Tradition,  however,  does  not  record  whether  a  cure  was  affected, 
but  it  has  given  to  the  ford  the  distinctive  title  of  the  "  stream  of  noble  blood." 

1 


THE  ROCK  OF  CASHEL. 


129 


The  old  coach  road  from  Tipperary  to  Cashel  is  about  ten  miles 
in  length,  leading  by  the  village  of  Thomastown,  passing  the  picturesque 
grounds  of  its  castle,  a  long  two-storied  building  in  the  Tudor  style 
having  battlements  and  numerous  towers  and  buttresses,  and  through  a 
highly  cultivated  country  called  the  "  Golden  Vale  "  from  its  great  fertility. 
About  midway  it  crosses  the  Suir  at  the  pretty  village  of  Golden,  situated 
on  both  sides  of  the  river ;  and  on  a  stone  bridge  of  great  antiquity, 
having  the  remains  of  a  castle  in  the  centre  and  connecting  the  two 
divisions,  William  III.  is  said  to  have  signed  a  letter  restoring  the  charter 
of  Cashel.  Close  by  is  the  birthplace  of  the  late  Father  Alathew,  the 
Apostle  of  Temperance,  and  a  mile  down  are  the  remains  of  the  ancient 
Augustine  priory  of  Athassel,  founded  about  the  year  1200  by  William 
Fitz  Adelm  de  Burke,  steward  to  Henry  II.,  and  ancestor  of  the 
illustrious  family  of  De  Burgo.  The  ruins  cover  an  area  of  considerable 
extent,  the  choir  which  overlooks  the  river  being  44  feet  by  26,  and 
lighted  by  lancet  windows  ;  the  nave  of  the  same  breadth,  and  supported 
by  lateral  aisles ;  and  the  external  walls,  1 1 7  feet  in  length. 

Towering  high  above  the  "  Golden  Vale "  a  stupendous  rock  arrests 
the  eye  of  the  traveler,  from  whatever  point  of  the  compass  it  may  be 
directed.  The  Approach  to  Cashel,  as  sketched  by  our  artist  from  its 
northern  side  (the  opposite  direction  to  that  we  journeyed  thither), 
enables  the  reader  to  judge  of  the  peculiar  bold  and  abrupt  aspect  of  this 
eminence,  which,  though  only  300  feet  in  height,  appears  more  colossal  in 
its  proportions  from  its  marked  contrast  with  the  verdant  and  fruitful 
plain  that  surrounds  it.  It  would  be  hard  if,  in  a  country  where  there  is 
a  legendary  reason  for  everything,  there  were  not  found  one  for  the 
singular  isolation  of  this  rock.  Some  miles  to  the  north  lies  a  range  of 
hills,  known  as  the  Devil's  Bit  mountains,  on  the  summits  of  which  it  is 
said  his  Satanic  Majesty  was  once  benighted  ;  and,  being  at  the  time  in  a 
famishing  condition,  he  bit  a  morsel  out  of  the  ridge,  but,  finding  it  too 
hard  for  mastication,  dropped  it  here  in  disgust  on  his  flight  southward. 
The  ancient  name  of  Cashel,  according  to  one  account,  was  Carsiol,  the 
"Habitation  in  the  Rock;"  and  it  has  in  later  ages  been  popularly  styled 
the  "  City  of  the  Kings,"  from  its  having  been  the  residence  of  the  mon- 
archs  of  Munster,  as  Kildare  has  been  styled  the  "  City  of  the  Saints," 
from  its  religious  associations.     Tradition,  however,  somewhat  varies  this 

17 


130 


FROM  KILKENNY  TO  Q  UEENSTO  WN. 


derivation,  by  informing  us  that  Cashel  was  first  pointed  out  to  the 
herdsmen  of  Core,  King  of  Munster,  by  a  heavenly  messenger,  who 
foretold  the  coming  of  St.  Patrick,  and  that  the  king  immediately  erected 
a  royal  palace  on  the  spot,  then  known  as  Carrie k-Phadring,  or  Patrick's 
Rock ;  and  from  receiving  here  the  rent  or  revenue  of  his  kingdom,  it  was 
called  Ciosoil — cios  signifying  tribute,  and  oil  a  rock. 

But  Cashel  has  sadly  fallen  from  its  regal  importance,  and  has  now 
dwindled  into  a  place  of  very  moderate  pretensions.  "  The  want  of  a 
navigable  river,"  says  Wright,  "  is  the  only  assignable  cause  for  the 
desertion  of  this  royal  seat,  encompassed  by  a  great  extent  of  country, 
fertile  as  cupidity  could  desire,  and  diversified  by  gentle  undulations." 
The  populated  portion  lies  nestled  on  one  side  of  the  rock,  and  possesses 
little  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  visitor,  except  the  modern  Protestant 
Cathedral  (the  present  parish-church),  a  rather  handsome  building;  the 
Dominican  Priory,  a  fine  old  ruin ;  and  Hacket's  Abbey,  formerly  a 
Franciscan  Monastery,  transformed  into  the  modern  Roman  Catholic 
Cathedral.  This  monastery  was  founded  in  the  reign  of  Henry  III.  by 
the  person  whose  name  it  bears,  and  on  the  night  of  February  14,  1757, 
its  lofty  and  beautiful  spire  fell  to  the  ground. 

Far  different,  however,  are  the  claims  upon  our  attention  of  the 
Rock  of  Cashel,  the  ascent  of  which  is  steep  and  precipitous  ;  but, 
its  summit  gained,  we  find  it  not  only  crowned  with  a  pile  of  the 
noblest  assemblage  of  monastic  ruins  in  Ireland,  but  presenting  to  the 
eye  an  extensive  view  of  a  beautiful  and  variegated  plain  spread  out 
on  every  side  below,  richly  cultivated  and  bounded  by  mountain  ranges 
— embracing  on  the  north  the  valley  of  the  Suir,  with  the  country 
around  and  beyond  Holy  Cross  and  Thurles,  and  bounded  by  the 
Devil's  Bit  mountains ;  on  the  east,  the  Sliev-na-man  and  the  Com- 
meragh  hills ;  on  the  west  the  sombre  Slieve  Phelim  mountains ;  on 
the  south  the  beautiful  and  luxuriant  "Golden  Vale"  of  Tipperary, 
with  the  Galtee  mountains  for  the  limit  ;  and  immediately  beneath, 
around  the  base  of  the  rock,  the  little  city  and  the  remains  of  Hore 
Abbey.  The  ruins  on  the  summit  are  supposed  by  some  to  be  those 
of  both  a  monastic  edifice  and  a  regal  residence ;  and  the  buildings  from 
the  want  of  regularity  in  plan,  as  well  as  peculiarities  in  workmanship 
and  style  of  decoration,  seem  to  have  been  the  work  of  several  periods. 


ANCIENT  CATHEDRAL   OF  CASH  EL. 


131 


The  chief  importance  of  Cashel  lies  in  its  having  been  for  centuries 
the  seat  of  an  archbishop.  A  bishopric  was  founded  here  at  a  very 
early  period,  but  no  certain  record  of  the  episcopal  succession  remains 
earlier  than  901.  "But,"  remarks  a  writer  on  the  subject,  "long  before 
it  attained  ecclesiastical  rank,  it  was  the  favorite  residence  of  the 
Kings  of  Munster;  and  it  is  said  a  synod  was  held  there  about  the 
middle  of  the  fifth  century  by  St.  Patrick,  St.  Ailbe,  and  St.  Declan, 
in  the  reign  of  v^ngus,  who  is  supposed  to  have  commemorated  his 
conversion  to  Christianity  by  the  erection  of  a  church  upon  the  rock ; 
thus  probably  originating  the  assemblage  of  sacred  edifices,  for  which, 
in  after  times,  it  became  conspicuous ;  and  there  appears  to  be  satis- 
factory authority  for  the  belief  that  it  had  been,  for  ages  previously, 
the  selected  site  of  Pagan  worship."  In  1 1 5  2  the  see  was  made 
archiepiscopal  by  Pope  Eugenius  III.,*  and  here,  in  11 72,  Henry  II. 
received  the  homage  of  Donald  O'Brien,  King  of  Limerick,  and  held 
the  memorable  synod  of  the  Irish  clergy,  at  which  Christian,  Bishop 
of  Lismore,  the  Pope's  legate,  presided,  when  "every  archbishop  and 
bishop  gave  sealed  charters  to  the  king,  conferring  on  him  and  his 
heirs  forever  the  Kingdom  of  Ireland,  which  charters  were  confirmed 
by    Pope  Alexander." 

The  remains  of  the  Ancient  Cathedral,  founded  in  the  eleventh  centurv, 

*  J  9 

of  which  our  artist  has  given  us  both  exterior  and  interior  views, 
prove  that  it  must  have  been  a  very  extensive  and  beautiful  Gothic 
structure,  boldly  towering  on  the  celebrated  rock  of  Cashel,  and 
forming  with  it  a  magnificent  object,  bearing  honorable  testimony  to 
the  labor  and  ingenuity,  as  well  as  the  piety  and  zeal  of  its  former 
inhabitants.    The  extent  of  the   nave   and  choir   from  east  to  west  is 

*  The  ecclesiastical  province  consisted  of  the  ancient  dioceses  of  Cashel,  Emly,  Waterford,  Lismore,  Cork, 
Cloyne,  Ross,  Limerick,  Ardfert,  Aghadoe,  Killaloe,  and  Kilfenora,  a  district  very  nearly  co-extensive  with  the 
civil  province  of  Munster.  In  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  Cashel  remains  a  metropolitan  see,  the  Archbishop  re- 
siding at  Thurles ;  but  in  the  Protestant  church,  by  the  Church  Temporalities  Act  of  1833,  the  see  of  Waterford 
and  Lismore  on  becoming  vacant  was  annexed  to  that  of  Cashel  and  Emly,  and,  on  the  death  of  the  then 
Archbishop  of  Cashel,  all  archiepiscopal  jurisdiction  ceased,  and  Cashel  and  its  annexed  dioceses  became  a  bish- 
opric, and  with  the  other  sees  of  the  province,  became  subject  to  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin.  Emly,  mentioned 
by  Ptolemy  as  Imlagh,  one  of  the  three  powerful  towns  of  Ireland,  but  now  a  village,  about  twenty  miles  south 
west  of  Cashel,  was  formerly  the  seat  of  a  bishopric,  founded  in  the  fifth  century,  and  originally  the  metropolitan 
see  of  Munster;  but  in  1152  Pope  Eugenius  III.  made  it  subordinate  to  Cashel,  with  which  it  was  incorporated 
in  1568. 


132 


FROM  KILKENNY  TO  Q  UEEN STO  WN. 


about  210  feet,  and  of  the  transept  from  north  to  south  about  170 
feet,  and  the  tower  is  in  the  centre  of  the  cross.  There  are  no  side 
aisles,  and  the  windows  are  of  the  lancet  form  usual  in  the  twelfth 
and  thirteenth  centuries.  During  the  long  feuds  of  the  Butlers  and 
Geraldines,  when  Cashel  was  a  frequent  sufferer,  the  cathedral  was  burnt 
down,  in  1495,  by  the  Earl  of  Kildare,  who,  on  being  summoned  before 
the  King  of  England  to  answer  for  the  act,  assured  him  that  he 
would  not  have  thought  of  committing  so  great  a  sacrilege,  if  he  had 
not  been  informed  that  the  archbishop  was  within ;  upon  which  the 
King  exclaimed,  "  If  all  Ireland  cannot  govern  this  man,  he  is  the 
fittest  man  to  govern  all  Ireland,"  and  so  appointed  him  lord 
lieutenant.  The  cathedral  was  subsequently  restored,  but  during 
the  past  century  the  magnificent  pile  was  again  doomed  to  destruc- 
tion, and  this  time  by  the  action  of  one  who  should  have  been 
its  most  zealous  defender.  Archbishop  Price,  who  succeeded  to  the  see 
in  1744,  and  died  in  1752,  not  being  able,  it  is  said,  to  ride  in  his 
carriage  to  the  church  door,  owing  to  the  steep  ascent,  procured  an  Act 
of  Parliament  to  remove  the  cathedral  from  the  summit  of  the  rock 
into  the  town ;  whereupon,  just  previous  to  his  death,  the  old  cathedral 
was  unroofed  for  the  value  of  the  lead,  and  the  venerable  edifice  was 
abandoned  to  ruin.  Archbishop  Agar  endeavored  to  restore  it  to  its 
pristine  glory,  but  it  had  become  so  dilapidated  that  the  effort  was 
fruitless,  and  a  new  cathedral  was  erected  in  the  town.  During  the 
present  century  the  progress  of  decay  has  been  to  some  extent  stayed 
by  Archdeacon  Cotton  who  labored  hard  to  preserve,  if  he  could  not 
restore,    the    ancient    glories    of   the    sacred  structure. 

As  a  notable  example  of  the  effect  these  ruins  produce  upon  the 
intellectual  mind  it  is  stated  that  upon  Sir  Walter  Scott  visiting  them 
en  route,  he  was  so  unprepared  for  a  spectacle  so  magnificent 
— one  so  suited  to  the  peculiar  habit  of  his  soul — that  he  forgot 
the  continuance  of  his  journey,  and  was  found  wandering  amongst  the 
lone  aisles  of  the  cathedral  at  the  approach  of  night.  And  the 
eloquent  Richard  Lalor  Shiel,  in  an  electioneering  address  made  at 
Cashel,  so  felt  the  inspiration  of  the  ruined  pile  that  he  exclaimed : 
"  Here  my  cradle  was  first  rocked,  and  the  first  object  that  in  my 
childhood  I    learned    to    admire    was   that    noble    ruin,    an    emblem  as 


COR  MAC'S  CHAPEL  AT  CASH  EL. 


133 


well  as  memorial  of  Ireland,  which  ascends  before  us,  at  once  a  temple 
and  a  fortress,  the  seat  of  religion  and  nationality,  where  councils  were 
held,  where  princes  assembled,  the  scene  of  courts  and  of  synods,  and 
on  which  it  is  impossible  to  look  without  feeling  the  heart  at  once 
elevated  and  touched  by  the  noblest  as  well  as  the  most  solemn 
recollections."  In  the  burial  ground  of  the  cathedral  stands  a  rude 
pedestal  on  which  the  Kings  of  Munster  were  crowned,*  bearing  the 
cross  of  Cashel,  one  side  of  which  is  sculptured  with  an  effigy  of 
St.  Patrick. 

Near  the  east  angle  of  the  north  aisle  of  this  cathedral  is  a 
Round  Tower,  between  which  and  the  church  there  is  a  passage. 
This  tower  is  supposed  to  be  the  oldest  structure  upon  the  rock,  from 
the  fact  that  all  the  adjoining  edifices  are  constructed  of  limestone, 
while  the  tower  is  built  of  freestone.  It  is  90  feet  high,  54 
feet  in  circumference  at  the  base,  and  the  height  of  the  door 
from  the  ground  is  12  feet.  It  consists  of  five  stories,  each  of  which, 
from  the  projecting  layers  of  stone,  appears  to  have  had  a  window. 

Connected  with  the  cathedral,  on  the  south  side  of  the  choir,  is 
Cormac's  Chapel,  named  after  its  founder,  Cormac-Mac-Culinan,  King  of 
Munster  and  Bishop  of  Cashel  (for  in  his  day  the  regal  and  ecclesiastical 
offices  were  combined),  who  flourished  in  the  beginning  of  the  tenth 
century,  and  was  slain  in  battle  by  the  Danes,  f  It  is  supposed  by  some 
to  have  been  the  first  stone-building  in  Ireland,  and  it  is  not  improbable 
that  it  was  built  on  the  very  foundation  of  the  church  originally  erected 
here  by  St.  Patrick.  Dr.  Ledwich,  who  selected  it  as  a  subject  upon  which 
to  found  an  essay  on  the  "  Stone-roofed  Churches  of  the  Irish,"  considered 
it  one  of  the  most  curious  fabrics  in  the  kingdom,  and  its  rude  imitation 
of  pillars   and   capitals   makes  it   appear  to   have  been  copied  after  the 

*  Tradition  states  that  the  original  coronation  stone,  which  some  credited  with  the  power  of  groaning  when 
pressed  by  a  royal  personage,  was  removed  by  Fergus,  a  prince  of  the  royal  line  of  Cashel,  who  in  513  obtained 
the  throne  of  Scotland,  and  was  used  by  him  in  his  coronation  at  Dunstaffnage.  Here  it  remained  until  the  time 
of  Kenneth  II.,  who  removed  it  to  Scone  ;  and  thence,  in  1296,  Edward  I.  of  England  had  it  conveyed  to 
Westminster,  and  placed  in  the  seat  of  the  coronation  chair,  and  upon  it  successive  sovereigns  have  been  crowned. 

f  Cormac  was  born  in  837,  and  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  a  monastery,  where,  about  the  year  900, 
he  composed  the  celebrated  "Psalter  of  Cashel,"  and  a  History  of  Ireland  written  in  the  Irish  tongue.  He  was 
nearly  seventy  years  of  age  before  coming  to  the  throne,  and  soon  became  entangled  in  war  with  the  monarch  Flan, 
which  resulted  in  his  own  death  in  the  year  908,  after  a  troubled  reign  of  only  five  years. 


134 


FROM  KILKENNY  TO  Q  UEENSTO  WN. 


Grecian  architecture,  and  long  to  have  preceded  that  which  is  usually 
called  Gothic.  The  chapel,  the  choir  of  which  is  fifty  feet  by  eighteen,  is 
of  a  style  totally  different  from  the  cathedral.  Both  on  the  outside  and 
inside  are  columns  over  columns,  better  proportioned  than  one  could 
expect  from  the  place  or  time.  The  ceiling  is  vaulted,  and  the  outside  of 
the  roof  is  corbelled,  so  as  to  form  a  pediment  pitch.  There  is  a  square 
tower  on  each  side  of  the  building,  at  the  junction  of  the  nave  and  choir. 
It  has  every  appearance  of  being  an  ecclesiastical  fortress,  as  its  defensive 
portions  exhibit  apertures  from  which  to  pour  molten  lead  upon  an 
attacking  foe. 

On  the  summit  of  the  rock  there  are  also  a  hall  for  the  vicar's  choral, 
built  by  Archbishop  O'Hedian  in  142 1  ;  the  old  Episcopal  palace,  originally 
a  strong  castle  at  the  west  end  of  the  cathedral ;  and  remains  of  the 
ancient  wall,  by  which  the  whole  assemblage  of  buildings  was  surrounded. 

The  ruins  of  Hore  Abbey,  called  also  St.  Mary's  Abbey  of  the  rock  of 
Cashel,  lie  in  the  vale  directly  under  the  rock.  This  building  was  founded 
for  Benedictines ;  but  Archbishop  David  McCarbhuil,  of  the  family  of  the 
O'Carrols,  dispossessed  them  of  their  houses  and  lands,  gave  their  posses- 
sions to  a  body  of  Cistercian  monks,  and  at  the  same  time  took  upon 
himself  the  habit  of  that  order.*  The  noble  ruins  of  this  edifice  are  in  a 
good  state  of  preservation.  The  steeple  is  large,  and  about  twenty  feet 
square  on  the  inside  ;  the  east  window  is  small  and  plain,  and  in  the 
inside  walls  are  some  remains  of  stalls ;  the  nave  is  sixty  feet  long  and 
twenty-three  broad,  and  on  each  side  was  an  arcade  of  three  Gothic 
arches,  with  lateral  aisles,  which  were  about  thirteen  feet  broad  ;  on  the 
south  side  of  the  steeple  a  small  door  leads  into  an  open  part,  about 
thirty  feet  long,  and  twenty-four  broad  ;  the  side-walls  are  much  broken,  and 
in  the  gable-end  there  is  a  long  window.  A  small  division  on  the  north 
side  of  the  steeple,  with  a  low,  arched  apartment,  seems  to  have  been  a 
confessionary,  as  there  are  niches  in  the  walls  with  apertures. 

In  ancient  times,  the  city  of  Cashel  was  a  place  of  no  slight  impor- 
tance. Its  foundation  dates  from  the  early  kings  of  Munster,  before  the 
arrival  of  St.  Declan,  to  whom  some  attribute  the  establishment  of  a 
church  here  in  the  time  of  St.  Patrick  ;  and  it  was  subsequently  fortified 

*  Tradition  states  that  the  archbishop  having  told  his  mother  he  was  warned  in  a  dream  that  the  Black 
monks  would  cut  off  his  head,  at  her  advice  he  removed  them  and  gave  their  possessions  to  the  Cistercians. 


THE  ABBEY  OF  HOLY  CROSS. 


135 


by  Brian  Boroimhe.  The  town  was  destroyed  in  1179,  but  soon  after- 
wards rebuilt.  It  was  constituted  a  borough  in  1216.  It  was  visited  by 
Edward  Bruce  on  his  invasion  of  Ireland  in  1 3 1 6.  In  1320  it  was 
surrounded  by  a  stone  wall,  and  erected  into  a  city  by  Charles  I.  in  1640, 
whose  cause  the  inhabitants  espoused  until  1647,  when  the  royalist  garri- 
son was  expelled  with  great  slaughter  by  the  Parliamentary  forces  under 
Lord  Inchiquin.  The  celebrated  Dean  Swift  was  born  here  in  1667.  In 
1871  the  population  had  dwindled  down  to  3976;  but  the  place  returned 
a  member  to  the  British  Parliament  as  late  as  1868,  after  which  it  was 
disfranchised. 

Traveling  northward,  at  a  distance  of  eight  miles  from  Cashel,  we  again 
came  upon  the  Suir,  at  the  village  of  Holy  Cross,  situated  in  a  rich 
pastoral  district,  but  a  humble  hamlet  enough,  yet  interesting  from  its 
containing  Holv  Cross  Abbev — a  fine  pile  of  monastic  ruins,  which  Mr 
Petrie  considers  to  rank  in  popular  esteem  as  among  the  first,  if  not  the 
very  first,  in  Ireland.  They  are  pleasantly  situated  on  the  river's  bank, 
with  a  grove  of  woods  for  a  background.  The  "  gentle  Suir  "  is  here  but 
a  small  stream  ;  yet  we  have  no  doubt  that  the  monks  who  peopled  this 
abbey  found  its  waters  in  their  day  to  yield  a  plentiful  supply  of  fish 
wherewith  to  stock  their  larders — a  monastic  requirement  which  would 
seem  to  afford  a  reason  for  the  very  general  erection  of  religious  houses 
either  upon  the  banks  or  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  piscatory 
haunts.  This  abbey  is  assumed  to  have  been  originally  founded  in  1182, 
for  Cistercian  monks,  by  Donald  O'Brien,  King  of  Limerick,  and  the 
charter  of  its  foundation  was  signed  by  Christian,  Bishop  of  Lismore 
and  Legate  of  the  Holy  See  in  Ireland,  Maurice,  Archbishop  of  Cashel,  and 
Britius,  Bishop  of  Limerick.  It  is  said  to  owe  its  origin,  as  well  as  its 
name,  to  a  piece  of  the  True  Cross,  presented  in  the  year  11 10  by  Pope 
Pascal  II.  to  Murtagh  O'Brien,  monarch  of  all  Ireland,  and  grandson  of 
Brian  Boroimhe.  This  relic,  set  in  gold  and  adorned  with  precious  stones, 
was  preserved  in  the  abbey  until  the  approach  of  the  Reformation,  when 
it  Avas  secured  by  the  family  of  Ormonde,  who  transmitted  it  to  the  family 
of  Kavanagh,  by  whom  it  was  restored  to  the  Roman  Catholic  hierarchy 
of  the  district.  The  identical  piece  of  the  cross,  which  Petrie  says  still 
exists,  is  described  by  Doctor  Milner  as  being  about  two  inches  and  a 
half  long,  and  about  half  an  inch  broad,  but  very  thin  ;  and  is  secured  in 


136 


FROM  KILKENNY  TO  Q  UEENSTO  WN. 


the  shaft  of  an  archiepiscopal  cross  of  curious  wood,  and  enclosed  in  a 
gilt  case.*  From  the  earliest  period  the  abbey  was  endowed  with  peculiar 
privileges  and  extensive  demesnes ;  and  its  charter  was  confirmed  by  Kings 
John,  Henry  III.,  Edward  III.,  and  Richard  II.,  respectively.  The  abbot 
was  a  peer  of  Parliament,  and  styled  Earl  of  Holy  Cross  ;  and  was  also 
vicar-general  of  the  Cistercian  order  in  Ireland.  At  the  dissolution  the 
abbey  and  its  extensive  possessions  were  granted  to  the  Earl  of  Ormonde, 
at  an  annual  rent  of  ^15  \os.  \d. 

Like  other  important  monastic  structures,  the  plan  of  the  building  is 
cruciform,  which  would  seem  to  be  peculiarly  appropriate  to  this  abbey, 
considering  the  name  it  bears.  It  consists  of  a  nave,  aisles,  chancel  and 
transept,  with  a  lofty  square  belfry  at  the  intersection  of  the  cross.  In 
viewing  the  Interior  of  Holy  Cross  Abbey  it  is  at  once  observable  that 
the  architecture  of  the  nave  is  inferior  to  that  of  the  tower,  transepts  and 
choir,  though  it  has  an  exquisite  six-light  window.  The  tower  is  supported 
on  lofty  pointed  arches,  the  roof  being  groined  in  a  superior  manner,  and 
pierced  with  five  holes  for  the  bell-ropes.  A  peculiarity  of  this  edifice  is 
that  each  transept  contains  two  distinct  chapels,  also  beautifully  groined — 
"  a  feature  which  imparts  much  interest  and  picturesqueness  to  the  gen- 
eral effect."  Contrary  to  usual  custom,  the  choir  arch,  evidently  a 
supplementary  erection,  is  placed,  instead  of  beneath  the  tower,  thirty  feet 
in  advance  of  it,  thus  making  the  length  of  the  choir  14  feet  greater  than 
that  of  the  nave,  the  entire  length  of  the  church  being  130  feet.  Like 
the  nave,  the  choir  has  also  a  beautiful  six-light  window.  The  cathedral 
is  adorned  with  two  rich  monumental  relics,  unlike  any  sepulchral  or 
ecclesiastical  architecture  to  be  seen  in  other  countries.  One  separates 
the  two  chapels  in  the  north  transept,  and  consists  of  a  double  row  of 
pointed  arches  springing  from  spiral  fluted  pillars — less  rich  in  design,  but 
resembling  the  "  Apprentice's  Pillar "  in  Roslin  Chapel,  near  Edinburgh. 
The  base  is  ornamented  with  trefoils  and  finials,  and  on  one  side  is  a 
small  font  for  the  reception  of  holy  water.  The  interior  dimensions  sug- 
gest the  resting-place  of  the  body  during  the  performance  of  the  funeral 
mass  ;  but  it  is  also  conjectured  to  have  been  erected  as  a  shrine  for  the 

*  According  to  Camden  and  other  writers,  immense  crowds  flocked  to  this  abbey,  from  reverence  to  this  holy 
relic,  among  them  the  leading  nobility  of  the  land,  including  the  great  O'Neil  in  1559,  and  one  of  the  Desmonds  in 
1579- 


HOLY  CROSS  AND  THURLES. 


137 


reception  and  display  of  the  sacred  remnant  of  the  True  Cross,  already 
spoken  of.  The  second  memorial  is  situated  in  the  choir,  and  is  equally 
interesting  from  the  beauty  of  its  design.  It  consists  of  a  projecting 
canopy  of  stone,  supported  by  three  trefoil  arches,  springing  from  slender 
columns  of  black  marble,  having  its  soffit  groined  and  the  pedestal 
enriched  with  sculpture.  Its  position  on  the  south  side  of  the  high- 
altar  has  led  to  its  being  attributed  to  the  founder  of  the  abbey,  Donald 
O'Brien  ;  but  this  theory  is  not  tenable  as  the  architectural  decorations 
do  not  justify  so  early  a  date,  and  the  armorial  bearings  are  not  those 
of  the  family  of  O'Brien,  but  of  the  Butlers  and  Fitzgeralds.  From 
these  heraldic  proofs,  Sir  William  Betham  concludes  that  this  elegant 
monumental  structure  was  raised  to  the  memory  of  Elizabeth,  daughter 
of  the  Earl  of  Kildare,  and  wife  of  James,  fourth  Earl  of  Ormonde, 
commonly  called  "  The  White  Earl,"  who  died  about  the  year  1450. 

A  delightful  drive  of  about  three  miles,  over  a  slightly  elevated 
road  which  afforded  us  a  fine  view  of  the  surrounding  country,  took 
us  to  Thurles,  likewise  situated  on  the  Suir,  and  a  station  on  the 
Great  Southern  and  Western  Railway.  This  town  is  peculiarly  inter- 
esting to  Roman  Catholics,  from  its  having  been  the  place  in  which 
was  held  the  famous  Synod  of  1850,  under  the  presidency  of  Cardinal 
Cullen,  which  declared  against  the  Queen's  Colleges,  and  recommended 
the  foundation  of  a  Roman  Catholic  University.  It  is  also  the  residence 
of  the  Archbishop  of  Cashel,  and  contains  a  very  handsome  Roman 
Catholic  Cathedral  ;  as  well  as  the  College  of  St.  Patrick,  erected  in  1836 
and  constituted  by  the  Synod  a  provincial  college,  embracing  lay  and 
ecclesiastical  departments.  Thurles  was  the  scene  of  a  great  battle 
fought  in  the  tenth  century  between  the  Danes  and  the  Irish,  at  which 
the  latter  were  the  victors.  A  castle,  erected  here  sometime  about  the 
twelfth  century,  was  taken  by  Hugh  de  Lacey  in  1208.  A  large  portion 
of  the  keep,  a  fine  old  tower  which  guarded  the  bridge  across  the  Suir, 
fell  down  in  1868.  A  monastery  of  Carmelites  was  founded  here  in  1300. 
but  no  remains  either  of  it,  or  of  a  fortress  ascribed  to  the  Templars, 
now  exist.  Half  a  century  ago  this  parish  contained  ruins  of  not  less 
than  seven  castles.    The  population  in  1871  was  4866. 

From  Thurles  we  returned  to  Oueenstown  by  railway,  the  distance 
between   the   two  places  being  over  90  miles.    On  our  way  thither  we 

18 


138 


FROM  KILKENNY  TO  Q  UEENSTO  WN. 


passed  the  junction  where  the  main  line  is  crossed  by  that  from  Water- 
ford  to  Limerick ;  Kilmallock,  once  a  place  of  some  importance,  rich  in 
relics  of  pagan  and  mediaeval  times,  and  containing  an  abbey,  the  choir  of 
which  is  still  used  for  service,  a  Dominican  priory  and  church,  a  Round 
Tower,  and  two  gateways ;  Charleville,  where  a  second  line  branches  off 
to  Limerick ;  Buttevant,  another  of  those  decayed  Irish  towns  that  still 
present  numerous  evidences  of  former  grandeur,  the  most  important  in  its 
case  being  the  remains  of  an  abbey  founded  in  the  reign  of  Edward  I. ; 
Mallow,  the  junction  for  Killarney  and  Tralee,  and  for  Fermoy  and  Lis- 
more  ;  and  the  city  of  Cork. 

At  Buttevant,  our  railway  travel  being  half  completed,  we  halted  for  the 
purpose  of  visiting  the  Remains  of  Kilcolman  Castle,  six  miles  east  of 
the  line,  where  once  lived  Spenser,  the  gifted  author  of  the  inimitable 
"  Faerie  Queene."  It  is  impossible  to  view  the  ruins  of  this  noble 
castle,  within  whose  deserted  walls  the  proud  Desmonds  once  held 
sway,  and  which  more  recently  had  been  the  dwelling-place  of  one  of 
England's  most  accomplished  poets,  without  a  feeling  of  deep  sadness. 
The  desolate  pile,  resting  in  lonely  grandeur  on  the  banks  of  the  Awbeg, 
or  "  Mulla  fair  and  bright,"  seemed  brooding  over  its  vanished  greatness  ; 
while  the  poet's  favorite  stream  murmured  sadly  as  it  rolled  onward  to 
the  Blackwater — the  lovely  river  upon  whose  banks,  at  Lismore  and 
at  Youghal,  his  friend  Raleigh  dwelt.  Spenser's  muse  having  expatiated 
so  poetically  upon  the  rivers  and  mountains  in  this  vicinity,  it  was  a  dis- 
appointment to  us  to  find  his  residence  placed  in  as  uninteresting  a  part 
of  the  country  as  it  would  be  almost  possible  to  select.  But  the  choice 
was  none  of  his.  Spenser  had  for  two  years  discharged  with  ability  and 
fidelity  the  duties  of  the  office  of  secretary  to  the  Lord  Deputy,  Lord 
Grey  de  Wilton,  which  Sir  Philip  Sidney  obtained  for  him  in  1580,  and 
returned  to  England  in  1582.  As  a  reward  for  this  duty  he  obtained,  in 
1586,  a  grant  of  3028  acres  of  land,  part  of  the  forfeited  estates  of  the  Earl 
of  Desmond,  at  an  annual  rental  of  £17  13.9.  6d.,  and  on  the  usual 
conditions  of  a  personal  residence  on  the  acquired  property,  the  policy 
of  Queen  Elizabeth  being  to  people  the  province  of  Munster  with 
English  families.  The  following  year  he  took  up  his  residence  in  his 
Castle  of  Kilcolman,  and  in  the  favorable  retirement  of  its  ancient  walls, 
or   wandering   along  the    banks    of   his    beloved  Mulla,  he,  during  the 


KILCOLMAN  CASTLE. 


139 


succeeding  three  years,  composed  the  first  three  books  of  the  "  Faerie 
Oueene,"  a  work  which,  for  brilliancy  of  fancy  and  richness  of  thought, 
is  unequalled  by  anything  of  a  similar  nature  in  the  English  language. 
Accompanied  by  his  friend,  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  he  conveyed  his  stanzas 
to  London,  where  they  were  published  in  1590,  dedicated  to  Queen 
Elizabeth.  Upon  his  return  to  Ireland  he  married  a  girl  of  humble 
parentage,  and  during  the  following  six  years  composed  three  more 
books  of  the  "  Faerie  Queene." 

Spenser  described  Ireland  as  a  country  formerly  possessing  such 
"wealth  and  goodness"  that  the  gods  resorted  thither  for  "pleasure 
and  for  rest  ; "  but  notwithstanding  this  glowing  sentiment  and  all  his 
poetical  admiration  of  the  scenery  of  the  country,  he  displayed  in  his 
"  View  of  the  State  of  Ireland,"  written  during  his  second  sojourn  at 
Kilcolman,  but  not  published  until  more  than  thirty  years  after  his 
death,  a  decided  dislike  and  prejudice  against  the  people,  and  there 
can  be  no  doubt  that  the  antipathy  was  mutual.  Holding  the  office 
of  the  clerk  of  the  council  of  Munster,  having  been  recommended  by 
the  Queen  for  sheriff  of  Cork,  an  urgent  advocate  of  arbitrary  power, 
and  accused  of  an  unjust  attempt  to  increase  his  possessions,  he  naturally 
became  a  conspicuous  object  of  hatred  to  the  Irish.  Consequently,  when 
the  rebellion  of  Tyrone  broke  out  in  1598.  Spenser  was  compelled  to 
flee  from  his  home  in  order  to  escape  from  the  fearful  retaliations  which 
were  everywhere  being  directed  against  the  English  settlers.  He  saved 
his  life,  but  his  estate  was  plundered  and  his  castle  burnt,  his  youngest 
child,  who  for  some  reason  had  been  left  behind,  perishing  in  the  flames. 

"  The  castle  of  the  Poet — the  man  of  endless  fame — 

Soon  hid  its  head  in  a  mantle  red  of  fierce  and  rushing  flame. 
Out  burst  the  vassals,  praying  for  mercy  as  they  sped, — 
Where  was  their  master  staying,  where  was  the  Poet  fled  ? 
But  hark  !  that  thrilling  screaming,  over  the  crackling  din, — 
"Tis  the  Poet's  child  in  its  terror  wild,  the  blazing  tower  within  !  " 

In  '  consequence  of  this  disaster,  Spenser,  poor  and  wretched,  was 
driven  back  to  England  with  his  wife  and  remaining  children,  and  never 
recovered  from  his  affliction,  for  he  died  a  year  later,  in  an  obscure 
lodging  in  London,  in  extreme  indigence,  if  not  in  actual  want.  The 
castle  was  never  rebuilt  and  the  estates  have  long  since  passed  away 
from  the  poet's  family,  who  are  now  supposed  to  be  extinct. 


140 


THE  SOUTHERN  AND   WESTERN  COASTS. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  SOUTHERN  AND  WESTERN  COASTS. 

Old  Head  of  Kinsale — Baltimore  Bay — Cape  Clear — Dunmanus  Bay — Bantry  Bay — Harbors  of 
Kerry — Derrynane  Abbey — The  Skelligs — Island  of  Valentia  and  Atlantic  Cable — Dingle 
Bay — The  Blaskets — Tralee  Harbor  and  Town  —  Kerry  Head — Ballybunion  —  Mineral 
Wealth  of  Kerry — Sunken  City — Loop  Head — Natural  Bridges  at  Ross — Kilkee — Remark- 
able Cave — Bishop's  Rock — Puffing  Cavern — Romantic  Coast  Scenery — Cove  in  Malbay — 
Birds  of  the  Coast — Milltown  Malbay — Lahinch — Kilfoiora — Cliffs  of  Mohcr — Arran 
Islands — Bays  of  Connemara — Ballynahinch — Roundstone — Urrisbeg — Clifden — The  Killary 
— Mweebrea — Delphi  Lodge. 

ONCE  more  upon  the  ocean,  outside  of  Queenstown  Harbor,  but  with 
the  prow  of  our  little  bark  this  time  turned  towards  the  west,  and 
ourselves  intent  upon  a  visit  to  the  wild  shores  and  noble  bays  that  not 
only  line  the  clement  southern  coast  of  Ireland,  but  those  also  that  face 
westward  and  buffet  the  turbulent  waters  of  the  broad  Atlantic.  The  first 
object  that  strikes  the  eye  of  the  voyager  is  that  bold  promontory,  the 
"Old  Head  of  Kinsale,"  at  the  entrance  to  the  harbor  of  the  same  name; 
but  as  this  headland,  as  well  as  the  boroughs  of  Kinsale  and  Bandon,  which 
connect  with  the  ocean  highway  at  this  point,  have  been  described  in  our 
first  chapter,  it  is  unnecessary  for  us  further  to  allude  to  them  than  to 
state  that  each  of  them  is  represented  in  the  British  Parliament — a  fact 
we  omitted  to  mention.  Sailing  round  an  irregularly  shaped  peninsula,  at 
a  distance  of  nearly  thirty  miles  from  Roche's  Point,  at  the  outlet  of 
Queenstown  Harbor,  we  entered  Clonakilty  Bay — a  place  of  little  consid- 
eration in  a  commercial  point  of  view,  but  possessed  of  rare  attractions 
for  the  antiquarian  and  painter.  The  country  along  the  shores  of  the 
bay  is  singularly  varied,  and  broken  into  picturesquely  shaped  hills  ;  the 
vales  are  watered  by  many  brooks  and  rivulets,  and  the  coast  presents  a 
succession  of  bold  cliffs  whose  romantic  beauty  charm  and  astonish  the 


FROM  GALLEY  HEAD  TO  CAPE  CLEAR.  HI 

spectator.  A  few  miles  further  on  we  doubled  Galley  Head — a  noble 
promontory  jutting  boldly  into  the  sea,  as  if  to  impede  our  further  prog- 
ress, and  entered  a  splendid  bay,  containing  within  it  the  lesser  harbors 
of  Ross-Carbery  *  and  Glandore.  A  line  of  coast  more  bold,  various, 
and  rich  in  marine  scenery,  can  scarcely  be  imagined ;  winding,  wooded 
inlets  of  the  sea,  which,  Mr.  Inglis  says,  reminded  him  of  the  Norwegian 
fiords,  penetrate  into  the  land,  and  form  creeks  and  coves  of  unequalled 
beaut}-. 

We  next  passed  Castlehaven  and  Baltimore  Bay,f  a  safe  asylum  for 
distressed  American  vessels.  We  will  not,  however,  attempt  to  enumerate 
the  endless  bays  and  islands  that  cluster  along  this  coast,  but  hasten  to 
Cape  Clear,  with  its  conspicuous  revolving  light,  announcing  to  the  mariner 
and  sea-worn  voyager,  long  tossed  on  the  "  storm-vexed "  ocean,  the  cheer- 
ing tidings  of  the  approach  to  port.  Cape  Clear  is  the  most  southerly 
point  of  the  kingdom,  and  is  an  island  scarcely  three  miles  long,  and  not 
more  than  one  and  a  half  wide — high,  rugged  and  precipitous,  accessible 
only  by  two  coves  on  opposite  sides,  which,  trenching  deep  into  the  land, 
nearly  divide  it  into  two,  and  give  it  an  appearance  like  to  that  of  an 
immense  wasp.  Its  population,  of  less  than  a  thousand,  consists  of  a 
hardy  and  primitive  people,  who  contrive  to  support  themselves  by  fishing 
and  the  culture  of  potatoes.  It  was  formerly  a  stronghold  ot  the  O'Dris- 
colls— a  family  of  huge  stature,  some  of  whom  were  a  compound  of  the 
Irish  chieftain  and  the  buccaneer,  and  whose  castle,  now  a  ruin,  was 
appropriately  seated  on  a  lofty  cliff,  overhanging  the  sea,  and  only 
approachable  by  a  narrow  and  perilous  path  over  a  ledge  of  rock.  The 

*  Ross-Carbery,  pleasantly  situated  at  the  head  of  the  bay,  is  one  of  the  oldest  towns  in  Ireland,  its  ancient 
name  being  Ross-Alithri,  the  field  of  pilgrimage.  According  to  Hanmer,  "  There  was  here  anciently  a  famous 
university,  whereto  resorted  all  the  southwest  part  of  Ireland  for  learning's  sake."  This  monastery  or  religious 
school  was  founded  in  570  by  St.  Faughnan,  otherwise  called  Mongach,  or  the  hairy,  and  was  the  nucleus  of 
the  diocese  of  Ross,  the  cathedral  belonging  to  which  is  a  cruciform  building  with  a  tower  and  octagonal  spire. 
In  the  Protestant  Church  the  diocese  was,  in  1586,  united  to  that  of  Cork  and  Cloyne  ;  in  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church  it  is  a  suffragan  see,  with  the  bishop  residing  at  Skibbereen. 

f  From  the  accessibility  of  Baltimore  Bay  as  a  harbor  of  refuge,  the  town,  which  is  situated  on  the  east  of 
the  bay,  had  always  been  such  a  favorite  resort  of  foreign  fishermen,  that  Edward  VI.  had  it  in  contemplation  to 
build  a  fort  here,  with  the  intention  of  compelling  them  to  pay  tribute.  The  place  grew  up  around  a  castle  of 
the  O'Driscolls,  the  ruins  of  which  now  surmount  a  rock  overlooking  the  pier.  The  main  historical  events  con- 
nected with  Baltimore  Bay  are  its  surrender  to  the  Spaniards  by  Sir  Fireen  O'Driscoll  in  1602,  and  its  surprise 
on  June  20th,  1631,  by  the  crews  of  two  Algerine  galleys,  who  landed  in  the  dead  of  night,  and  bore  off  into 
slavery  two  hundred  of  its  inhabitants. 


142 


THE  SOUTHERN  AND   WESTERN  COASTS. 


laws  by  which  the  leaders  ruled  their  little  dynasty  were  somewhat 
peculiar,  one  of  their  severest  penalties  being  transportation  to  the  main- 
land. In  addition  to  the  lighthouse,  455  feet  high,  the  island  contains 
coast  guard  and  telegraph  stations,  messages  from  the  latter  of  which 
effect  a  saving  of  six  hours  in  the  announcement  of  the  approach  of 
American  vessels.  There  is  another  light,  148  feet  above  high  water, 
three  and  a  half  miles  west  by  south  of  Cape  Clear,  on  Fastnett  Rock, 
about  which  islet  the  coast  peasantry  have  a  superstition  that  it  sails  a 
mile  westward,  at  daybreak,  every  first  of  May. 

Proceeding  further  to  the  west,  we  passed  Crookhaven,  and  then  soon 
doubled  Mizen  Head,  and  turned  eastward  into  Dunmanus  Bay,  a  long 
and  comparatively  narrow  inlet,  which,  though  both  large  and  safe,  is 
little  frequented  by  vessels.  So  well  is  this  bay  sheltered  by  the  sur- 
rounding mountains  and  the  outstretching  headlands,  that  it  has  all  the 
appearance  of  an  extensive  lake  when  viewed  from  many  points  on  the 
land.  On  its  eastern  shore  are  the  ruins  of  Dunmanus  Castle,  built  by 
the  O'Mahony  sept,  and  formerly  a  place  of  some  strength.  Dunmanus 
Bay  is  separated  from  that  of  Bantry  by  a  narrow,  rugged  peninsula,  of 
which  Sheep  Head  forms  the  extreme  point. 

Sailing  up  the  noble  spreading  Bay  of  Bantry,  we  found  it  to  present 
many  magnificent  features  in  addition  to  those  we  had  previously  ob- 
served from  the  land,  so  picturesque  and  varied  are  its  shores.  The 
length  of  the  bay  exceeds  thirty  miles,  in  breadth  it  varies  from  three 
to  eight  miles,  and  in  some  places  it  is  forty  fathoms  in  depth.  The 
shores  of  this  vast  sheet  of  water  are  agreeably  diversified.  On  the 
north  side,  the  mountain  barriers  which  confine  it  seem  to  start  up 
precipitously  from  the  water's  edge,  and  give  a  wild  and  impressive 
character  to  the  scenery.  At  the  north-eastern  extremity,  the  junction 
of  the  mountain-streams  that  rush  from  the  romantic  Glengariff,  form 
a  lesser  bay  of  great  beauty.  The  scenery  in  the  vicinity  of  the  town 
is  softer  and  more  graceful  than  on  the  opposite  shore  ;  the  grounds 
and  demesne  of  the  Earl  of  Bantry,  which  adjoin  the  town,  sweep  in 
fine  wooded  undulations  and  beautiful  glades  down  to  the  margin  of 
the  bay.  Above  all,  the  blue,  lofty  mountain  chain  stretching  from 
Berehaven  and  Hungry  Hill,  on  the  west,  to  Mangerton  and  Gougane 
Barra   on    the   east,  with    intermediate    mountains    of  the    boldest  and 


HARBORS  AND  HEADLANDS  OF  KERRY. 


143 


most  fantastic  outlines,  form  the  horizon  of  this  magnificent  picture. 
The  bay  is  studded  with  islands,  of  which  Bere  Island  and  Whiddy 
are  the  principal.  The  first  is  bold  and  rocky  and  lies  close  under 
the  northern  shore  in  an  arm  of  the  bay ;  the  second,  of  lesser  extent, 
is  situated  opposite  to  Glengariff,  at  the  head  of  the  bay,  and  consists  of 
three  gently  undulating  hills,  the  centre  one  of  them  being  crowned  with 
the  ruins  of  the  old  castle  of  the  O'Sullivans,  erected  in  the  reign  ot 
Henry  VI.  Bantry  Bay  is  separated  from  Dunmanus  Bay  on  the  south- 
east, as  we  have  just  stated,  by  a  long  narrow  strip  of  land,  and  from 
Kenmare  Bay  on  the  north-east  by  a  longer  and  broader  strip — the 
former  being  two  and  a  half  miles,  and  the  latter  seven  and  a  half 
miles  in  mean  breadth  ;  and  Dunmanus  Bay  being  about  three  miles 
wide  at  its  mouth,  and  eleven  or  twelve  miles  long,  while  Kenmare  is 
over  eighteen  miles  long,  and  from  one  to  five  miles  broad. 

In  expatiating  upon  Bantry  Bay,  we  feel  quite  unable  to  convey  to 
the  mind  of  the  reader  a  perfect  idea  of  the  wild  magnificence  of  its 
coast-scenery.  Filled  with  unspeakable  awe  and  admiration  at  the  majesty 
and  vastness  of  the  picture,  the  spectator  at  first  cannot  find  language 
to  express  the  impressions  he  has  received,  and  it  is  only  by  repeated 
inspection  that  he  becomes  able  to  separate  and  analyse  the  multitude 
of  images  and  emotions  that  crowd  upon  his  mind.  As  we  continued 
our  course  northward,  we  found  the  leading  characteristics  of  wildness 
and  grandeur  still  preserved  in  the  aspect  of  the  coast.  The  stupendous 
masses  of  rock  which  form  headlands,  and  protect  the  numerous  bays 
against  the  mighty  waves  of  the  Atlantic  ;  the  rocky  mountains,  which 
line  the  shores  of  the  bays  and  harbors  ;  and  the  wild  highland  solitudes 
between  Bantry  and  the  northern  confines  of  Kerry,  are  as  fertile  in 
scenes  of  bold  and  striking  grandeur  as  the  most  ardent  admirer  of 
pictorial  sublimity  can  desire. 

Along  the  coast  of  Kerry  are  the  protecting  harbors  of  Kenmare 
just  mentioned,  a  long  and  beautiful  estuary  called  a  river,  Kilmakilloge, 
Sneem,  Ballinskellig,  Valentia,  Dingle,  Ventry,  Castlemaine,  Dunmore, 
Smerwick,  Brandon,  and  Tralee.  Of  these  Ballinskellig  Bay  is  the  first 
we  meet  of  any  importance.  It  is  a  spacious  haven,  almost  entirely 
encompassed  by  lofty  mountains.  The  shores  are  bold  and  varied,  and 
the  islets  with  which   the   spacious   basin    is    agreeably   diversified,  add 


144 


THE  SOUTHERN  AND   WESTERN  COASTS. 


much  to  the  beauty  of  the  scenery.  On  the  green  margin  of  a  sheltered 
creek,  running  in  from  this  bay,  in  the  most  romantic  situation  imaginable, 
stands  Derrynane  Abbey,  the  birth-place  and  the  seat  of  the  late  Daniel 
O'Connell,  the  great  Liberator.  It  is  occupied  by  his  descendants,  and 
is  a  singular-looking  patchwork  edifice,  having  been  enlarged  by  additions 
made  at  different  periods,  and  in  various  styles.  The  mountains  which 
rise  precipitously  behind,  and  on  either  side  of  the  house,  completely 
hem  it  in,  and  give  it  an  extremely  solitary  appearance.  The  only 
means  of  communicating  with  the  country  inland  is  by  a  narrow  road, 
winding  through  the  craggy  defiles  of  the  mountain  ;  so  that  a  more 
secluded  and  interesting  spot  than  Derrynane  it  would  be  difficult  to 
find.  The  ruins  of  the  little  abbey,  founded  in  the  seventh  century, 
by  the  monks  of  St.  Finbar,  from  which  the  mansion  takes  its  name, 
stand  within  view  of  the  house  on  the  extremity  of  a  low  tongue  of 
land  running  into  the  sea.  The  rocky  eminences  afford  many  striking 
views.  In  front,  Scariff  Island,  five  miles  from  the  shore,  one  mile  in 
diameter,  and  rising  839  feet  above  the  sea,  is  a  striking  feature ;  while 
other  picturesque  islands  diversify  the  prospect  seaward. 

The  Skellig  Islands,  which  lie  some  distance  outside  the  bay  of 
Ballinskellig,  have  the  romance  of  antiquity  hanging  round  them.  They 
are  three  in  number — the  Lemon  Rock,  the  Little  Skellig,  and  the  Great 
Skellig— and  the  modern  use  of  the  latter,  which  lies  the  farthest  out  and 
is  little  more  than  a  single  cliff,  as  the  seat  of  two  towering  lighthouses, 
whose  illuminations  are  seen  far  out  at  sea,  renders  it  an  object  of  interest 
to  mariners.  On  the  summit  of  this  lone  rock  stand  the  ruins  of  the 
abbey  of  St.  Finian,  which  is  reported  to  have  been  so  desolated  in  812 
by  the  Danes,  that  the  unfortunate  monks  were  starved  in  their  cells. 
It  has  been  for  ages  the  annual  resort  of  crowds  of  devotees,  drawn 
to  it,  and  the  station  of  St.  Michael,  for  the  purposes  of  weary  pen- 
ance— a  feature  of  which,  the  ascent  of  a  pinnacle  710  feet  above  the 
sea,  known  as  St.  Michael's  pillar,  is  fraught  with  great  peril  to  the 
faithful  worshipper.  To  the  south  of  the  Great  Skellig  is  a  singular 
islet  known  as  the  Washerwoman's  Rock. 

Rounding  Bolus  Head  and  passing  Puffin  Island  we  soon  reached  the 
island  of  Valentia,  separated  from  the  main-land  by  a  narrow  channel, 
and  which,  with  its  little  town,  was  seemingly  at  the   world's  end  and 


THE  ISLAND    OF  VALENTIA 


145 


led  to  nowhere,  until  it  suddenly  became  an  important  station  on  the 
pathway  of  telegraphic  intercourse  between  the  old  world  and  the  new.* 
Its  ancient  name,  and  that  still  used  by  the  Irish  speaking  population, 
is  Dairbhere,  an  oak-forest,  which  was  changed  to  Valentia  by  the  Span- 
iards who  formerly  had  an  extensive  trade  along  the  western  coasts  of 
Ireland,  and  occupied  the  island  and  harbor  until  expelled  by  Cromwell, 
whose  lieutenant  erected  forts  at  both  the  entrances,  in  order  to  put 
a  stop  to  the  privateering  purposes  to  which  it  was  applied.  Notwith- 
standing this,  the  many  advantages  the  harbor  presents,  led  to  its  being 
used,  during  the  Napoleonic  war,  as  a  privateering  station  by  the  French, 
whose  vessels  lay  concealed  therein  ready  to  pounce  upon  any  unfortunate 
prey,  but  prepared  to  escape  out  of  either  end  of  the  channel  on  the 
announcement  by  their  sentinels  of  the  approach  of  an  English  man-of- 
war.  The  island  which  is  about  five  and  a  half  miles  long  by  two 
broad,  and  is  the  property  of  the  Knight  of  Kerry,  who  has  upon  it  a  seat 
and  extensive  slate  quarries  from  which  he  derives  a  large  revenue. 
With  the  exception  of  the  Blaskets,  and  a  few  other  outlying  islets 
and  rocks,  the  western  end  of  Valentia  Island  is  the  point  of  the 
kingdom  nearest  to  the  American  continent. 

Brav  Head  at  the  west  of  the  island  of  Valentia  forms  the  southern, 
and  Dunmore  Head,  some  fifteen  miles  northward,  the  northern  head- 
land of  the  Bay  of  Dingle,  which  penetrates  deeply  into  the  land,  and  is 
excelled  by  few  places  on  the  coast  in  magnificent  marine  scenery. 
Ranges  of  mountains,  whose  fantastic  summits  pierce  the  clouds,  rise 
boldly  from  the  shores,  and  form  a  singularly  picturesque  screen  to  the 
noble  estuary  which  they  overhang.  At  its  head,  where  it  receives  the 
water  of  the  Maine,  is  the  harbor  of  Castlemaine  ;   while  its  northern 

*The  first  attempt  to  lay  a  telegraph  cable  from  Valentia  to  America,  was  made  in  August,  1857  ;  but  after  380 
miles  had  been  laid,  it  parted.  A  second  trial  was  made,  June,  185S,  and  a  very  small  length  laid,  when  the  cable 
again  parted  ;  but  a  renewed  effort  was  more  successful,  and  on  August  5,  185S,  the  line  was  completed  to  New- 
foundland ;  and  though  the  cable  spoke  at  intervals  between  August  and  October,  it  became  silent  on  the  20th  of 
the  latter  month.  The  next  effort  was  made  in  1S65  by  the  "  Great  Eastern,"  but  on  August  2,  after  1186  miles 
had  been  paid  out,  loss  of  insulation  was  reported,  and  in  the  attempt  to  haul  up  the  cable,  it  broke.  In  1S66,  a 
new  cable  having  been  constructed,  the  final  and  successful  attempt  was  made,  the  "Great  Eastern  "  having  completed 
the  work  between  July  13th  and  27th,  on  which  latter  day  she  reached  Heart's  Content,  Newfoundland  ;  and  then 
the  big  ship  grappled  for  the  lost  end  of  the  cable  of  the  previous  year,  picked  it  up  on  September  2d,  and  com- 
pleted it  also  to  Heart's  Content  on  the  8th  of  the  same  month.  The  telegraph  company  have  a  commodious  office 
at  Knightstown  on  the  island. 

19 


146 


THE  SOUTHERN  AND   WESTERN  COASTS. 


shore  is  indented  with  the  harbors  of  Dingle  and  Ventry,  the  neck  of 
land  between  which  is  reputed  to  have  been  the  ground  last  occupied 
by  the  Danes  in  Ireland.  The  wild  tongue-like  peninsula  on  the  north 
of  Dingle  Bay,  which  stretches  out  into  the  Atlantic  for  thirty  miles 
and  is  ten  miles  across  at  its  broadest  point,  is  replete  with  historical 
associations  as  well  as  natural  beauties.  Here  are  the  remains  of 
fortifications  erected  by  the  Spaniards  during  their  occupation  of  this 
district,  and  ruins  of  old  castles  are  scattered  all  along--  the  coast. 
Eagle  Mountain,  nearly  1700  feet  high,  stands  guard  at  the  western 
extremity  of  this  peninsula,  where  the  rugged  shores  unfold  "  numerous 
bold  headlands,  singularly  formed  rocks,  and  many  curious  sea-worn 
caves,  never  visited  but  by  the  sea-fowl,  that  are  congregated  in  thous- 
ands along  this  coast — riding  on  the  waves,  covering  the  rocks,  and 
wheeling  on  the  sides  of  the  cliff."  Off  Dunmore  Head,  the  western 
point  of  the  peninsula,  are  the  Blaskets,  a  group  of  islets  and  rocks, 
formerly  belonging  to  the  great  Earl  of  Desmond,  who  gave  them  to 
the  family  of  Ferriter.  Slieve  Donagh  in  the  Great  Blasket  is  a  pre- 
cipitous cliff  rising  more  than  1500  feet  above  the  water.  Tearaght 
Island,  a  lofty  rock  rising  600  feet  out  of  the  water,  lies  further  out  ; 
while  on  the  island  of  Inishtooskert,  a  little  to  the  north,  are  to  be  found 
the  ruins  of  St.  Brendan's  Oratory.  Exposed  to  the  full  force  of  the 
south-western  gale,  we  can  scarcely  imagine  a  more  fearful  though 
magnificent  scene,  than  that  which  these  sea-girt  rocks  must  present 
Avhen  lashed  by  the  fierce  billows  of  the  turbulent  Atlantic,  breaking 
against  their  sides,  with  a  roar  of  thunder,  and  wreathing  their  heights 
with  chaplets  of  snowy  spray. 

Passing  Dunmore  Head  and  proceeding  northward,  we  soon  doubled 
Sybil  Head,  and  came  upon  Smerwick,  the  first  point  of  interest  on 
the  northern  shore  of  the  promontory.  This  place  gained  a  melancholy 
notoriety  from  the  slaughter  in  cold  blood  by  the  commander  of  the 
English  forces,  after  their  surrender,  of  a  body  of  Spaniards,  who  had 
landed  here  and  taken  possession  of  the  town  for  the  Earl  of  Desmond 
when  in  rebellion  against  Queen  Elizabeth.  The  act  was  charged  on 
his  trial  against  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  who  pleaded  that  his  position  as 
a  subordinate  officer  compelled  him  to  obey  the  commands  of  his 
superior  ;   but  he  was  unable  to  fully  exculpate  himself  from  a  partici- 


BRANDON  AND  TRALEE  BAYS. 


147 


pation  in  the  foul  transaction,  which  must  ever  remain  a  dark  blot 
upon  his  character.  Proceeding  eastward,  we  soon  reached  Brandon 
and  Tralee  Bays,  on  the  north  of  the  peninsula,  having  in  full  view 
Brandon  and  Connor  Mountains,  the  former  of  which  rises  to  the  height 
of  3126  feet,  and  stretches  out  its  shoulders  to  the  coast,  where  they 
terminate  in  lofty  precipices  and  sudden  escarpments.  These  bays  are 
separated  by  a  promontory  five  miles  in  length,  which  terminates  in  a 
rugged  and  dangerous  coast-line,  rendered  extra  perilous  by  a  cluster 
of  rocky  islets  called  the  Seven  Hogs.  The  town  of  Tralee,  the  name 
signifying  the  strand  of  the  Lee,  is  situated  on  the  river  Lee,  a  mile 
above  the  head  of  the  bay,  with,  which  it  is  connected  by  a  short 
ship  canal,  the  river  being  too  shallow  for  maritime  uses.  It  is  a 
bustling  little  place  of  over  10,000  inhabitants,  and  returns  one  member 
to  Parliament  ;  and  though  an  ancient  town,  it  now  possesses  few 
antiquarian  remains.  The  scenery  around,  however,  is  remarkably  fine  ; 
the  view  of  the  wide-spreading  bay  which  faces  the  town,  the  wild  and 
rugged  mountains  of  Brandon  peninsula  stretching  away  to  the  westward, 
and  the  softer  beauties  of  the  rich  vale  that  extends  to  the  eastward, 
form  a  panorama  of  surpassing  and  varied  beauty.* 

From  the  entrance  to  Tralee  Bay  the  coast-line  proceeds  north  for 
a  few  miles,  when  it  is  indented  by  Ballyheigh  Bay,  a  small  inlet  at 
the  point  where  Kerry  Head  projects  from  the  main-land.  This  bay, 
however,  affords  no  shelter  for  ships,  and  in  former  years  often  proved 
fatal  to  inward  bound  vessels,  in  consequence  of  an  error  in  the  charts 
having  led  to  it  being  mistaken  for  the  mouth  of  the  Shannon. 

Rounding  Kerry  Head,  we  entered  the  mouth  of  the  Shannon,  and 
a  few  miles  inland,  on  a  stretch  of  coast  bv  which  the  width  of  the 
river  is  suddenly  contracted,  came  to  the.  bay  and  pleasant  bathing 
village  of  Ballybunion,  a  favorite  summer  resort  of  the  citizens  of 
Limerick.  The  principal  point  of  interest  at  this  place,  however,  is  a 
series  of  curious  labyrinthian  caves,  which  permeate  the  cliffs  along  the 

*  Han'  a  dozen  miles  northwest  of  Tralee,  is  the  ancient  cathedral  of  Ardfert,  the  most  interesting  monastic 
remains  in  the  county  of  Kerry  ;  and  nearby  formerly  stood  a  Round  Tower,  120  feet  high,  built  of  dark  marble,  which 
suddenly  fell  down  in  1771.  The  bishopric  of  Ardfert,  known  in  ancient  records  as  the  bishopric  of  Kerry,  was 
founded  in  the  fifth  century,  Cerpain  being  mentioned  as  bishop  in  500.  The  Protestant  sees  of  Ardfert  and 
Aghadoe  (near  Killarney)  were  united  to  that  of  Limerick  in  1663  ;  but  in  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  these  two 
sees  constitute  the  bishopric  of  Kerry,  of  which  the  Bishop  resides  in  the  town  of  Killarney. 


148 


THE  SOUTHERN  AND   WESTERN  COASTS. 


coast,  and  are  to  be  classed  among  the  most  remarkable  wonders  of 
Ireland.  "  The  whole  shore  here,"  sayeth  the  ancient  chronicler,  "  hath 
a  variety  of  romantic  caves  and  caverns,  formed  by  the  dashing  of  the 
waves  ;  in  some  places  are  high  open  arches,  and  in  others  impending 
rocks,  ready  to  tumble  down  upon  the  first  storm."  A  boat  may  pass 
through  their  intricate  passages  for  a  considerable  distance  parallel  to  the 
coast  without  entering  the  sea.  The  cliffs  in  which  they  are  found 
are  situated  on  the  northern  side  of  the  little  bay,  extend  about  290  yards 
and  rise  gradually  from  the  east  to  the  west,  or  towards  the  sea, 
where  they  attain  a  height  of  no  feet.  They  preserve  throughout  great 
perpendicularity,  and  are  composed  of  two  large  beds,  from  thirty  to 
forty  feet  in  thickness,  of  compact  ampelite,  divided  by  a  seam  of  the 
same  slate,  but  fissile  and  anthracitous,  and  pour  out  streamlets  of 
water  which  contain  iron  and  salts  in  solution,  and  tinge  the  rocks 
with  bright  yellow  ochreous  colors.  The  several  caves  with  which  they 
are  honeycombed,  open  upon  the  bay,  and  are  crossed  in  one  place  by 
a  fissure,  occasioned  by  the  fracturing  of  a  rock  which  dips  at  a  small 
angle  of  inclination  (four  or  five  degrees)  to  the  east.  The  last  cave 
on  the  sea-side,  which  has  also  an  entrance  from  the  bay,  immediately 
curves  round,  and  allows  the  sea  to  be  seen,  breasting  its  foaming 
way  with  much  impetuosity,  even  on  calm  days,  up  two  distinct  apertures, 
through  which  the  light  gleams  with  almost  starlight  brightness. 

These  caves  are  distinguished  by  names  having  references  to  par- 
ticular circumstances.  The  largest  of  them  is  called  Neptune's  Hall  or 
the  Pigeon  Cave,  and  is  from  70  to  80  feet  in  height.  Others  are 
known  as  the  Hunter's  Path,  from  a  tradition  that  a  rider  once  rode 
his  horse  over  it  ;  Smugglers'  Bay,  from  its  having  been  for  centuries 
famous  as  a  safe  shelter  for  contrabandists  ;  Seal  Cave,  and  other 
distinctive  appellations.  A  visitor  to  these  extraordinary  natural  curi- 
osities says  they  are  "  most  easily  navigated  in  a  boat  from  the  northern 
side,  where  the  rocky  passages  may  be  traversed  for  a  considerable 
distance,  without  any  communication  with  the  open  sea ;  and  during 
this  navigation,  which  is  chiefly  carried  on  in  a  line  parallel  to  the 
western  face  of  the  cliff,  the  various  entrances  are  often  crossed  at 
right  angles,  affording  the  most  striking  contrast  of  light  and  shade — 
the  color  of  the  waters  being  often    of  a   hue   so   sparklingly  bright, 


THE  CLIFFS  OF  BALLYBUNION. 


149 


and  so  extensively  vivid,  as  to  resemble  molten  silver  ;  while  the  boat 
hurries  through  the  deep  and  wave-worn  arcades  into  light  and  airy 
arched  or  vaulted  chambers,  only  in  their  innermost  recesses  dark  and 
repulsive,  and  passes  from  cave  to  cave,  and  hall  to  hall,  with  inlets, 
pointing  to  the  sea,  or  high  cliffs  affording  their  protection  against  the 
waves,  and  occasionally  well-like  apertures,  which  open  through  the 
roof  to  yield  a  telescopic  view  of  the  heavens,  assisting,  more  especially 
with  the  sudden  transitions  from  absolute  darkness  to  the  most  brilliant 
light,  in  giving  to  the  whole  an  appearance  of  fairy  scenery." 

The  cliffs  of  Ballybunion  contain  a  great  quantity  of  alum,  iron 
pyrites,  etc.,  which  have  occasionally  taken  fire  from  being  exposed  to 
the  action  of  the  atmosphere,  and  which  fire  was  formerly  supposed  to 
be  of  volcanic  origin.  "  Some  years  back,"  remarks  a  tourist,  in  writing 
upon  this  phenomenon,  "  a  part  of  these  cliffs,  between  the  castles  of 
Sick  and  Dune,  assumed  a  volcanic  appearance.  The  waves,  by  continual 
dashing,  had  worn  and  undermined  the  cliff,  which,  giving  way.  fell  with 
tremendous  violence  into  the  sea.  Several  great  strata  or  beds  of  pyrites, 
iron,  and  sulphur,  were  in  consequence  exposed  to  the  action  of  the  air 
and  salt  water,  the  natural  effects  of  which  were  that  they  heated  and 
burned  with  great  fierceness.  The  clav  near  it  was  calcined  to  a  red 
brick,  and,  mixed  with  iron  ore,  melted  in  many  places  like  cinders  thrown 
from  a  smith's  forae.  Many  who  did  not  consider  well  the  causes,  and 
the  effects  naturally  to  be  expected  from  them,  have  supposed  this  to 
be  volcanic." 

The  river  Shannon  at  its  mouth  forms  the  northern  limit  of  the 
county  of  Kerry,  which  can  boast  of  some  of  the  wildest,  most  romantic, 
and  diversified  scenery  to  be  met  with  in  any  part  of  Ireland.  That 
portion  of  Kern'  which  lies  in  the  neighborhood  of  this  river  is  less 
elevated  than  the  southern  parts.  The  central  district  is  an  upland 
country,  gradually  rising  towards  the  confines  of  Limerick  and  Cork. 
The  valleys  in  this  tract  consist  mostly  of  reclaimable  bog.  from  which 
several  streams  and  rivulets  descend  southward  to  Dingle  Bay,  and 
eastward  by  the  Blackwater  towards  Cork.  The  southern  district  is 
composed  of  lofty  mountain-ranges,  of  which  we  have  spoken  when 
describing  Killarney,  Glengariff,  and  the  coast-scenery  northward  from 
Kenmare  River.    The  prevailing   component   of  this    mountain-chain  is 


150 


THE  SOUTHERN  AND   WESTERN  COASTS. 


clay,  slate,  (quarries  of  which  we  have  noticed  are  worked  with  con- 
siderable success  at  Valentia,)  coal,  culm,  and  limestone.  Hard  and 
beautiful  crystals,  known  to  lapidaries  as  Kerry  stones  and  Irish  diamonds, 
are  found  in  the  limestone  caverns  along  the  coast.  Amethysts  and 
pearls  have  also  been  discovered  in  some  of  the  lakes  and  rivers : — in 
short,  the  county  of  Kerry  may  be  said  to  possess  many  peculiar 
advantages,  that  if  properly  embraced,  would  be  most  influential  in 
creating  wealth. 

Sailing  across  the  broad  estuary  of  the  Shannon,  we  reached  Loop 
Head  in  the  county  of  Clare,  which  like  Kerry  Head  on  the  southern  shore 
of  the  river's  mouth,  is  a  narrow  promontory  jutting  out  into  the  Atlantic 
from  the  mainland,  the  two,  as  it  were,  forming  immense  natural  piers 
to  mark  the  entrance  of  fair  Erin's  most  noble  stream,  "  the  spacious 
Shenan  spreading  like  a  sea."  The  people  point  to  a  part  of  the  river 
within  these  headlands  over  which  the  tides  rush  with  extraordinary 
rapidity  and  violence.  They  say  "  it  is  the  site  of  a  lost  city,  long 
buried  beneath  the  waves,  and  that  its  towers  and  spires  and  turrets, 
acting  as  breakers  against  the  tide-water,  occasion  the  roughness  of  this 
part  of  the  estuary.  The  whole  city  becomes  visible  on  every  seventh 
year,  and  has  been  often  seen  by  the  fishermen  sailing  over  it  ;  but 
the  sight  bodes  ill  luck,  for  within  a  month  after,  the  ill-fated  sailor  is 
a  corpse.  The  time  of  its  appearance  is  also  rendered  farther  disastrous 
by  the  loss  of  some  boat  or  vessel,  of  which,  or  its  crew,  no  vestige 
is  ever  after  found."* 

High  above  the  water,  and  perched  upon  the  lofty  cliff  of  Loop  Head, 
stands  a  lighthouse,  by  night  shedding  its  rays  upon  the  surging  waters 
that  break  with  echoing  thunders  against  the  rocks  beneath.  From 
this  point  an  extensive  and  magnificent  panorama  is  opened  to  the 
view.  Looking  towards  the  north,  the  line  of  coast  is  traced  as  far  as 
the  eye  can  reach,  fading  into  hazy  distance  at  Slyne  Head,  fifty-two 
miles  away,  to  the  right  of  which  the  Twelve  Pins  and  other  mountains 
of  Connemara  are  plainly  discernible.    To  the  south,   Kerry  Head  and 

*  The  city  is  believed  to  have  been  visible  in  the  summer  of  1823,  on  which  occasion  there  perished  a  sail-boa: 
with  a  crew  of  fifteen  men.  The  day  happened  to  be  Sunday,  and  it  was  reported,  and  of  course  credited,  that  the 
whole  fifteen  were  seen  about  the  same  time  at  the  parish  chapel,  mixing  amongst  and  conversing  with  their  neighbors 
and  relatives,  as  was  their  custom  in  life  ;  although  a  few  hours  later,  the  dreadful  tidings  of  their  loss  reached  their 
families,  and  filled  the  whole  community  with  sorrow  and  lamentations. 


NATURAL  BRIDGES  AT  ROSS. 


151 


the  Blaskets  appear  deceptively  near,  though  the  latter  are  forty  miles 
away  ;  Brandon  Mountain  appears  like  an  immense  sugar-loaf ;  and  beyond, 
full  fifty  miles  distant,  are  seen  the  blue  summits  of  McGillicuddy's 
Reeks  and  the  other  Killarney  Mountains.  To  the  east  is  traced  the  course 
of  the  Shannon  ;  and  to  the  west  the  eye  wanders  over  the  billowy 
surface  of  the  wide  Atlantic,  until  sea  and  sky  blend  in  the  horizon 
and  are  faintly  discernible  one  from  the  other.  The  Head  is  precipitous 
at  the  point,  but  the  land  slopes  gently  as  it  trends  towards  the  Shannon. 
A  narrow  channel  of  great  depth,  through  which  the  sea  rushes  with 
violence,  and  known  as  the  Lover's  Leap,  is  the  result  of  a  long, 
narrow  strip  of  cliff  being  separated  from  the  mainland. 

From  Loop  Head  the  shore  stretches  for  a  score  miles  to  the  north- 
east, and  is  indented  along  the  whole  line  with  many  little  bays  and  inlets. 
Three  miles  from  the  point,  close  to  the  village  of  Ross,  are  some 
Natural  Bridges,  which  hold  an  important  place  in  the  wonderful 
features  of  this  coast.  In  describing  them  we  shall  make  free  use  of 
the  language  of  Mrs.  M.  J.  Knott,  who  approached  them  from  the  land, 
and  has  given  a  graphic  picture  of  their  peculiar  formation  and  won- 
derful character.  The  bridges  are  two  in  number,  both  picturesque,  yet 
quite  different,  and  extend  across  the  same  natural  canal  or  inlet  ;  which 
canal  appears  as  if  cut  out  of  the  solid  rock,  is  eighty  feet  deep, 
varies  from  fifty  to  seventy  feet  in  width,  and  in  its  course  makes 
nearly  a  right-angle.  The  inner  bridge,  which  is  the  larger,  is  seventy 
feet  in  span,  bears  a  resemblance  in  the  spring  of  its  beautiful  arch  to 
the  Rialto  of  V enice,  and  is  formed  of  numerous  thin  strata  of  rock, 
like  sheets  lying  closely  over  each  other.  The  under  side  of  the  arch 
looks  as  smooth  as  if  covered  with  a  coat  of  dark  plaster  ;  and  it  would 
seem  that  at  some  period  the  whole  was  a  mass  of  rock,  whose  strata 
took  an  extraordinary  curved  or  arched  direction  inland,  (a  peculiarity 
apparent  in  many  other  places  here  and  along  the  cliffs  to  Loop  Head) 
and  that  by  some  convulsion  of  nature  a  portion  of  the  under  strata 
was  forced  out,  as  the  broken  edges  can  be  seen  at  low  water,  appear- 
ing like  a  sort  of  abutment  from  which  the  perfect  arch  springs.  In 
fact,  lines  of  these  indented  ed^es  are  visible  in  an  undulating  course 
along  the  side  of  the  canal  nearlv  to  its  mouth,  seeming-  as  if  chiselled 
out  by  the  hand  of  art. 


152 


THE  SOUTHERN  AND   WESTERN  COASTS. 


The  outer  bridge  is  even  a  more  remarkable  structure,  being  nearly 
as  level  on  the  upper  as  it  is  on  the  under  surface.  When  we  consider 
that  the  span  is  forty-five  feet,  the  thickness  above  the  arch,  nine  feet, 
and  the  width,  thirty  feet,  and  reflect  how  impossible  it  would  be  for 
man,  with  all  his  boasted  powers,  to  construct,  or  for  a  moment  to 
support,  so  great  a  mass,  without  a  curve  underneath,  the  mind  can  only 
contemplate  this  extraordinary  structure  as  one  of  the  wonderful  works 
of  nature's  Divine  Architect  ;  and  one,  which  from  its  exposed  situation 
close  to  the  ocean,  has  for  ages  withstood  the  force  of  the  overwhelming 
billows  of  westerly  tempests.  Nearly  under  this  bridge  are  low  caverns 
or  openings  between  the  rocks,  seemingly  caused  by  the  coast  having 
been  shaken  and  rent  into  great  fissures  ;  and,  upon  large  stones  being 
cast  therein,  they  were  heard  bounding  and  echoing  to  a  great  depth. 
The  bridges  are  formed  of  coarse  carbonacious  slate  ;  and  many  of  the 
fissures  in  some  places  are  lined  with  minute  crystals,  which  sparkle 
beautifully  in  the  sun's  rays.  The  geological  reason  for  the  present 
appearance  of  the  bridges  is  attributed  to  the  softness  of  the  stone, 
and  its  inability  to  resist  the  force  of  the  waves  and  the  action  of 
atmospheric  elements  ;  and  to  the  falling  in  of  the  lower  beds,  after 
being  eaten  away,  while  the  upper  ones,  dipping  both  to  sea  and  inland 
at  low  angles  have  formed  natural  arches.  The  canal,  or  wild  rockv 
valley,  is,  when  the  tide  is  out,  above  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  length  ; 
and,  when  the  visitor  walks  along  the  bottom  of  it,  he  can  only  see 
naked  rocks,  the  sky,  and  the  breakers  foaming  in  at  the  end.  The 
bay  is  lined  with  a  high  bank  of  boulders,  or  large  rounded  stones, 
which  from  their  bulk  appear  to  have  been  accumulating  for  centuries. 

Proceeding  along  the  coast,  at  about  fifteen  miles  from  Loop  Head, 
we  came  to  an  anchorage  in  Moore  Bay,  for  the  purpose  of  visiting 
Kilkee,  and  of  viewing  the  extraordinary  coast-scenery  in  the  vicinity. 
Formerly  a  mere  fishing  village,  Kilkee  has,  since  the  middle  of  the 
century,  become  the  most  fashionable  watering-place  in  the  southwest  of 
Ireland  ;  and,  though  distant  from  Kilrush,  on  the  northern  bank  of  the 
Shannon,  not  less  than  forty  miles  by  water,  it  is  only  nine  miles  by 
road  across  the  peninsula  to  that  place,  whence  a  steam  packet  runs  to 
Limerick.  The  town  commands  a  fine  view  of  the  bay,  is  built  close 
to  the  sea,  and   assumes   a   semicircular   form    from    the    shape    of  the 


CHARACTERISTICS  OF  KILKEE. 


1>3 


strand,  which  presents  a  smooth,  white,  sandy  surface  of  above  half-a-mile 
in  length,  where  the  invalid  can,  without  fatigue  or  interruption,  enjoy  the 
exhilarating  sea-breeze  and  watch  the  Atlantic  wave  dashing  into  foam 
against  the  cliffs  which  circumscribe  its  power,  and  the  rocks  of  Dungana, 
which  run  nearly  across  the  bay;  and 

Soccng  ffce  sod?  cove  of  lone  Kflkee." 

Kilkee  has  a  resident  population  of  about  2000,  consists  01  two  wide 
intersecting  and  many  minor  streets,  and  an  aristocratic  quarter  or  "west- 
end,"  containing  well-built  squares  and  handsome  terraces,  the  houses  in 
which,  suited  to  every  gradation  of  life,  are  rented  furnished  during  the 
season  to  visitors  who  are  drawn  hither  to  avail  themselves  of  the  benefits 
of  sea-bathing.  The  mildness  of  the  climate,  caused  by  the  influence  of 
the  Gulf  stream  which  impinges  on  this  coast,  the  facilities  of  intercourse 
with  Kilrush  and  Limerick,  and  the  liberal  and  economical  supply  not 
only  of  the  necessaries  of  life,  but  of  many  of  its  luxuries,  have  tended 
greatly  to  increase  the  popularity-  of  Kilkee  as  a  summer  resort.  Beyond 
these  the  town  has  no  special  interest,  but  there  is  a  peculiar  charm  in 
the  grandeur  of  the  surrounding  scenery  that  attracts  to  it  not  the  invalid 
alone,  but  the  votary  of  art  and  the  lover  of  nature. 

The  boat  in  general  use  by  the  natives  of  Kilkee  is  a  species  of 
canoe  composed  of  a  frame  of  light  timber  or  strong  wickerwork, 
covered  with  sailcloth,  and  rendered  waterproof  with  pitch  and  tar.  The 
best  kinds  have  slight  timber  hoops  to  support  the  cloth.  Some  years 
ago,  however,  the  canoes  were  covered  with  horse  and  cow-hides,  after  the 
custom  of  the  ancient  Irish.  These  little  vessels  have  neither  keel  nor 
rudder;  they  are  particularly  calculated  to  skim  over  the  surface  of  the 
waves,  and  pass  safely  amongst  the  rocks  on  this  dangerous  shore,  where 
a  timber-boat  might  be  dashed  to  pieces.  The  expert  rowers,  with  a 
light  paddle  or  oar  in  each  hand,  glide  very  swiftly  over  the  waves,  and 
turn  their  boats  with  great  dexterity.  It  is  surprising  at  times  to  see 
them  going  along  shore ;  when  a  breaker  approaches  that  would  fill  the 
canoe  if  it  struck  the  side,  they  instantly  turn  the  head,  which  from  its 
being  elevated,  enables  them  to  ride  over  the  swell  as  safely  as  a  cork. 


154 


THE  SOUTHERN  AND   WESTERN  COASTS. 


after  which  they  as  quickly  return  to  their  course.  These  canoes  are 
considered  much  safer  when  well  managed  than  timber-boats  of  the  same 
size.  The  weight  of  the  latter  would  preclude  their  general  use  along 
the  coast ;  as  where  there  are  not  any  sheltered  harbors,  the  fishermen 
on  landing  have  to  carry  their  canoes  above  the  reach  of  the  waves. 
Besides,  when  the  sail-cloth  happens  to  be  torn  it  is  most  expeditiously 
repaired— a  sod  of  lighted  turf  is  held  near  the  rent  until  the  pitch  is 
melted,  a  fresh  piece  is  stuck  on  the  aperture,  and  the  canoe  is  imme- 
diately re-launched,  and  the  fishermen  jump  in  and  row  off,  the  water 
hardening  the  cement. 

Two  miles  southwest  of  Kilkee  is  another  of  those  peculiar  caves  found 
upon  this  romantic  coast ;  and  we  are  sure  the  reader  will  excuse  us  if 
we  give  Mrs.  Knott's  account  of  her  visit  to  it,  as  related  in  her  interest- 
ing little  work  on  Kilkee.  That  lady  premises  by  stating  that  the  sea 
had  become  smooth  by  the  wind  blowing  off  shore  for  a  couple  of  days, 
the  weather  was  settled,  and  the  excursion  made  late  in  the  day  in  a 
ship's  small  boat,  which  had  been  picked  up  at  sea  by  some  fishermen, 
and  continues: — "After  rowing  out  of  the  bay,  and  finding  ourselves  on 
the  mighty  Atlantic,  I  may  acknowledge  we  felt  more  at  ease  in  a  boat 
with  a  keel  and  rudder  than  we  had  done  in  a  canoe,  although  the 
motion  was  much  slower  from  the  boat  being  heavier.  We  were  accom- 
panied by  another  party  in  a  canoe,  who  soon  got  ahead  of  us.  Having 
cleared  the  rocks  of  Dungana,  the  great  expanse  of  water  presented  a 
magnificent  appearance  ;  the  nearest  point  on  the  opposite  shore  was  that 
of  Newfoundland,  two  thousand  miles  distant.  In  passing  along  the  dark 
cliffs,  the  Amphitheatre,  the  Puffing  Cavern,  the  Flat,  or  Diamond  Rocks  in 
succession  arrested  our  attention  and  excited  admiration.  Having  arrived 
at  the  mouth  of  the  cave,  we  lay  to,  in  order  to  take  soundings,  and 
to  examine  the  majestic  perpendicular  cliffs,  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
high,  by  which  we  were  surrounded,  throwing  their  dark  shade  on  the 
water,  which  gave  it  the  appearance  of  a  sea  of  ink.  The  water  here  was 
thirty-three  feet  deep.  We  were  gently  wafted  into  this  magnificent 
cavern,  of  which  I  can  only  give  a  faint  sketch  ;  but,  to  enable  the  reader 
to  form  some  idea  of  its  size,  I  shall  give  the  best  computation  we  were 
able  to  make.  The  height  of  the  rude  arch  at  the  entrance,  by  com- 
parison with  the  cliff  above,  appeared  to  be  about  sixty  feet,  and  lowered, 


THE  CA  VE  AT  K ILK  EE. 


155 


as  it  receded,  to  thirty  or  forty ;  the  breadth  at  the  bottom  was  the  same ; 
there  were  great  blocks  and  angles  of  rock  projecting  on  either  side; 
within  the  entrance  to  the  left  were  a  number  of  stalagmites,  formed  bv 
the  dropping  from  above,  and  standing  on  a  sloping  rock,  like  small 
brownish  sugar-loaves.  The  roof  presented  a  beautiful  variety  of  rich  metallic 
tinges,  from  the  copper,  iron,  and  other  mineral  substances  held  in  solution 
by  the  water,  which  kept  continually  dropping  from  the  top,  and  gave 
increased  effect  to  the  light  thrown  in  at  the  entrance,  which  formed  a 
striking  contrast  with  the  darkness  at  the  upper  end.  On  the  right  a 
number  of  stalactites  lined  the  side,  having  the  appearance  of  a  drapery 
of  sea-weeds,  and  produced  a  handsome  effect.  The  echo  here  is  aston- 
ishing. After  proceeding  inward  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  the 
light  becomes  very  dim,  and  the  cavern  narrower,  making  an  angle  to  the 
left.  A  jutting  rock  at  the  entrance  of  this  angle  shuts  out  the  little 
light,  on  which  account  the  inner  chamber  is  rendered  nearly  dark.  Pro- 
ceeding on  slowly,  and  having  a  boat  not  liable  to  be  injured  by  touching 
a  rock,  we  allowed  it  to  float  in  by  the  effect  of  the  swell,  until  the  awful 
and  profound  silence  was  broken  by  the  noise  of  the  boat  touching  the 
rock  at  the  extreme  end,  which  broke  upon  the  ear  with  an  indescribably 
deep  and  impressive  sound,  as  it  reverberated  from  the  roof  and  sides. 
Whilst  in  the  dark  part  we  perceived  what  was  also  noticed  by  another 
pany,  that  the  dipping  of  the  oars  and  the  dropping  from  the  roof  pro- 
duced a  sparkling  appearance  under  the  water — caused,  no  doubt,  by  the 
air-bubbles  reflecting  the  little  light  which  we  could  scarcely  perceive.  On 
leaving  this  gloomy  place  and  emerging  into  day,  the  sunbeams  were 
shining  outside  the  entrance  of  the  cave,  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
distant,  and  hence  reflected  on  the  dark  rippling  water  within;  and  again, 
being  thrown  upon  the  rough-arched  roof,  rendered  still  more  brilliant  by 
its  beautiful  metallic  tints,  broke  like  a  scene  of  fancied  enchantment 
upon  the  delighted  vision." 

Not  far  from  this  cave  is  Bishop's  Island,  containing  an  area  of  about 
an  acre  of  land,  the  herbage  on  which  is  noted  for  its  superior  quality, 
causing  sheep  fattened  on  it  to  fetch  a  higher  price  than  those  fed  upon 
the  mainland.  The  island  is  quite  inaccessible  except  on  the  northern 
side,  where  men  are  enabled  to  climb  the  rocks,  the  shores  elsewhere 
rising    to    a   height    of    160  feet.       When   sheep   are   carried  thither 


156 


THE  SOUTHERN  AND  WESTERN  COASTS. 


they  are  taken  in  boats  to  the  base  of  these  cliffs  and  drawn  to  the  top 
by  ropes.  A  huge  natural  pillar  washed  by  the  waves  supports  a  portion 
of  the  island ;  and  when,  by  the  continued  action  of  the  waters,  the  prop 
gives  way,  a  quarter  of  the  surface  must  sink  into  the  sea.  Upon  the 
top  are  the  ruins  of  a  bee-hive  oratory,  and  a  house  evidently  once 
belonging  to  some  primitive  hermit,  both  now  to  be  counted  as  memorials 
of  the  earliest  ages  of  Christianity.  Legendary  history  informs  us  that  here 
lived  a  bishop  who  was  filled  rather  with  the  spirit  of  greed  than  with 
that  of  religion,  and  who  in  a  season  of  great  scarcity  retired  with  his 
hoard  to  this  safe  but  desolate  spot.  Here  he  vainly  hoped  to  enjoy  his 
wealth,  but,  when  the  storms  of  winter  came  on,  the  billows  of  the  ocean 
wore  away  the  land  and  increased  the  chasm  between  the  island  and  the 
shore,  heretofore  crossed  by  a  plank  or  bridge,  so  that  communication  was 
impossible,  for  no  boat  could  live  in  the  storm  ;  and  the  result  was  that, 
when  the  bishop's  provisions  were  exhausted,  he  came  to  a  miserable  end 
in  his  wave-girt  prison.  And  this  bold  and  escarped  rock  has  ever  since 
been  known  in  Irish  as  Oilean-an-Easpoig-gortaigh,  the  Island  of  the 
Hungry  Bishop. 

Another  remarkable  feature  of  the  coast  near  Kilkee  is  the  Puffing 
Hole  or  cavern,  which  is  approached  by  descending  some  rough  steps 
to  the  bald  surface  of  a  rock,  about  fifty  feet  above  the  sea.  "  Beneath 
this,"  remarks  the  guide-book,  "is  a  cavern,  over  which  a  flue,  or  open- 
ing, thirty  feet  wide,  has  been  worn  by  the  action  of  the  waves.  When, 
with  the  rising  tide,  a  strong  wind  blows  from  the  west,  the  waves,  as 
they  roll  in,  shoot  showers  of  spray  through  this  aperture,  producing,  probably 
as  exquisite  an  effect  as  the  Geysers  in  Iceland  exhibit.  Dashing  up, 
with  a  booming  noise,  to  a  height  of  sixty  or  eighty  feet,  the  jet  seems 
to  pause,  and  then  slowly  descends,  glistening,  and  brilliant,  as  though 
a  beam  of  light  had  dissolved  into  a  shower  of  stars,  and  showing  a 
superb  iris  in  the  sunshine.  A  young  officer  and  his  affianced  bride  were 
one  day  watching  this  very  striking  phenomenon,  when,  having  incautiously 
ventured  too  near  the  opening,  an  unusually  large  wave  dashed  over  them, 
and  in  its  return  drew  them  into  the  gulf  below,  where  they  perished 
among  the  breakers." 

The  hills  of  Moveen,  and  Look-out  Cliff,  a  little  inland,  are  eminences 
from  200  to  450  feet  in  height,  from  which  most  magnificent  views  are 


THE  VICINITY  OF  K ILK  EE. 


15? 


obtained  ;  but  as  these  are  in  many  respects  similar  to  that  observed  at 
Loop  Head,  it  is  unnecessary  that  we  should  describe  them.  In  the 
vicinity  of  Look-out  Cliff  is  the  chalybeate  spring  of  Fouagh,  which  is 
considered  to  be  a  spa  of  superior  strength  and  efficacy ;  and  in  the 
neighborhood  is  the  Holy  Well  of  Toberkee,  reputed  by  the  peasantry 
to  possess  more  than  ordinary  sanative  power  in  cases  of  ophthalmic 
disease. 

The  antiquarian  finds  matter  of  interest  at  Kilkee  in  the  shape  of  two 
of  the  ancient  raths — one  on  each  side  of  the  village.  That  on  the  east 
seems  of  great  antiquity.  The  circumference  outside  the  rampart  is  two 
hundred  and  fifty-six  yards ;  the  top  of  the  mound,  one  hundred  and 
twenty-six ;  the  height  of  the  top  of  the  rath,  above  the  fosse,  which  has 
been  filled  considerably,  is  twenty  feet.  At  the  south  side  of  the  top  of 
the  mound  is  a  passage,  covered  with  large  flags,  and  leading  into  the 
interior,  which  contains  a  chamber  of  twelve  feet  diameter,  walled  at  the 
sides  and  covered  with  broad  thick  flags. 

From  the  complete  absence  of  ooze,  and  the  character  of  the  sand  and 
rock  which  form  the  western  coast  of  Ireland,  the  sea-water  at  Kilkee  is 
remarkably  pellucid  and  bright.  Consequently,  the  persons  engaged  in  recov- 
ering the  sunken  cargo  of  the  Intrinsic,  wrecked  against  the  neighboring 
rocks  January  30th,  1836,  worked  to  great  advantage,  being  able  to  see 
objects  distinctly  at  fifty  feet  below  the  surface.  Very  uncommon  and 
peculiar  varieties  of  sea-weed  are  found  here,  particularly  the  Carrigheen 
moss,  used  by  invalids,  and  said  to  be  as  nutritious  as  isinglass. 

Continuing  our  survey  of  the  coast  we  found,  for  some  miles  after  we 
passed  Kilkee,  a  continuance  of  the  strange  freaks  of  nature  which  give 
a  weird  and  gloomy  character  to  the  scene ;  in  fact,  all  the  way  from 
Loop  Head  to  Dunbeg,  a  distance  of  twenty  miles,  says  Frazer,  "the 
shore  presents  on  a  magnificent  scale  the  ruins  of  Nature  in  the  numerous 
and  endlessly  varied  caverns,  chasms,  bays,  and  island-rocks,  into  which 
the  ceaseless  roarings  of  the  Atlantic  waves  have  broken  this  bold  rocky 
coast." 

A  short  distance  northeast  of  Kilkee  is  George's  Head — "  a  magnifi- 
cent but  dangerous  rock,  about  100  feet  high,  indented  and  undermined 
by  the  violence  of  the  waves,  which  continually  surge  through  a  natural 
arch  worn  by  their  constant  action."    From  this  spot  may  be  obtained 


158 


THE  SOUTHERN  AND   WESTERN  COASTS. 


a  good  view  of  the  Horse-shoe — a  bay  so  called  from  its  form.  Near 
by  is  another  and  very  perfect  natural  bridge,  "  crossing  a  chasm  about 
thirty  feet  wide ;  and  about  forty  yards  east  of  this  bridge,  between  two 
declivities,  a  huge  mass  of  stone  has  fallen  like  a  wedge,  which  can  be 
reached  by  clambering  down,  whence  may  be  had  a  fine  view  of 
George's  Head,  set,  as  it  were,  in  the  frame  of  stone."  A  little  beyond 
the  Horse-shoe  rises  the  hill  of  Coosheen,  240  feet  in  altitude,  but,  like 
Look-out,  presenting  a  view  very  similar  in  character  to  that  obtained 
from  Loop  Head.  A  conspicuous  object  to  the  north,  with  its  tower 
forty  feet  high,  is  "  turret-crowned  Baltard,"  whose  castle  was  built  in 
the  early  part  of  the  century  as  a  coast-guard  signal  station,  on  the  summit 
of  a  hill  300  feet  high,  and  overlooking  the  sea.  At  the  foot  of  the  hill 
is  Lake  Farrihy,  reputed  to  contain  a  tower  visible  to  the  keen-eyed 
fishermen  as  they  row  on  the  surface.  This  body  of  water,  we  are  informed, 
was  the  result  of  the  negligence  of  Noule,  the  chieftain's  daughter, 
'whose  duty  it  was  to  watch  an  enchanted  well;  but  who,  beguiled  by 
the  sweet  singing  of  a  fascinating  stranger  who  came  to  her  father's 
castle,  neglected  her  trust,  and  in  the  night  the  well  overflowed  and 
submerged  the  district,  drowning  all  the  inhabitants." 

Donegal  Head,  another  of  those  rocky  points  which  fret  this  coast,  is 
completely  tunnelled  by  the  sea  ;  and  although  the  land  has  partly  fallen, 
the  promontory  is  still  preserved  from  insularity  by  two  natural  bridges, 
one  at  either  end  of  a  yawning  chasm.  The  first  bay  of  any  importance 
after  rounding  this  point  is  that  of  Dunbeg,  almost  the  only  straw  of 
safety  within  the  clutch  of  the  unfortunate  mariner  whose  frail  bark  may 
be  subjected  to  the  mercy  of  the  winds  and  the  waves  that  beat  against 
and  lash  this  dangerous  coast.  The  western  coast  of  Clare,  or  the  space 
between  Loop  Head  and  the  Arran  Islands  off  the  entrance  to  the  bay 
of  Galway,  is  called  Malbay ;  and  justly  so,  for  if  a  vessel  happens  to 
be  embayed  therein,  the  only  places  where  there  is  the  least  chance  of 
saving  the  ship  are  in  the  inner  bays  of  Dunbeg  and  Liscannor.  In 
addition  to  the  views  already  given,  our  artist  has  sketched  one  of  a 
Cove  in  Malbay,  which  we  present  in  this  place,  as  it  gives  a  very 
correct  idea  of  the  manner  in  which  the  ceaseless  action  of  the  Atlantic 
waves  have  worn  away,  and  scooped  the  stratified  cliffs  into  natural 
bridges,  caverns,  and  chasms — so  as,  we  repeat,  to  give  the  shores  here  the 


MILL  TOWN  MA  LB  A  Y  AND  SPANISH  POINT. 


159 


appearance  of  stupendous  ruins,  or  the  fragments  of  a  half-formed  world 
thrown   into  the  wildest  confusion  by  the  hand  of  nature. 

The  rocks  along  this  coast  are  the  resort  of  thousands  of  sea-gulls 
and  other  marine  birds,  whose  young,  in  the  autumn,  ranged  on  narrow 
shelves  of  rock,  utter  loud  screams  for  food,  which  the  parent  birds 
answer  as  they  skim  along  the  surface  of  the  water,  looking  down  for 
their  prey.  We  are  indebted  to  Captain  Sabine  for  an  account  of  the 
birds  met  with  on  these  coasts:  "Of  sea-birds.  I  recognized  in  flight,  of 
terns,  the  hirundo  and  minuta ;  of  gulls,  the  argentahcs,  fuscus,  and  tri- 
dactylns,  and  I  heard  of  a  gull  with  very  red  legs,  which  was,  I  suppose, 
the  ridibundus ;  of  the  guillemots,  the  troile,  brunnichii,  grylle,  and  alba. 
Cormorants  and  oyster-catchers  abundant ;  the  oyster-catchers  more  fre- 
quently in  groups  than  in  pairs,  although  it  was  the  breeding  season ; 
puffins  and  razorbills.  Of  land-birds,  the  only  species  worth  particular 
remark  is  the  chough,  which  breeds  in  the  rocks  at  Ballybunion,  as  does 
the  rock-pigeon." 

On  the  shores  of  an  inlet  a  dozen  miles  noitheast  of  Donegal  Head 
is  Milltown  Malbay,  a  small  watering-place  principally  patronized  by  the 
people  of  Galway  and  Limerick.  Its  climate  is  remarkably  healthy,  its 
atmosphere  richly  laden  with  ozone ;  and  its  waters,  like  those  of  Kilkee, 
are  so  clear  that  the  bottom  can  be  plainly  seen,  even  where  the  depth 
is  considerable.  A  few  miles  inland  is  observable  Slieve  Callan,  1282  feet 
high,  having  the  appearance  of  a  flat-topped  hill  with  terraced  sides.  At 
Spanish  Point,  the  northern  headland  of  the  bay,  is  another  puffing  cavern, 
"  where  in  rough  weather  the  waves  rise  fifty  feet  high,  and  in  the  sun- 
shine the  iridescent  hues  of  the  spray  form  an  object  of  great  natural 
beauty."  But  Spanish  Point,  remarks  the  guide-book,  has  its  historical 
tale  of  horror,  for  here  were  wrecked  two  of  the  "great  fleet  invincible," 
that 

"  Bore,  and  bore  in  vain, 
The  richest  spoils  of  Mexico,  the  stoutest  hearts  of  Spain." 

"  The  sea  that  engulfed  them  was,"  says  the  same  authority,  "  at  least 
as  merciful  as  the  Lord  Deputy  of  Ireland,  Sir  William  Fitz-William, 
who  had  ordered  that  all  who  might  reach  the  shore  alive  should  be 
massacred,  and  at  Galway  caused  several  of  these  unfortunates  to  be 
beheaded."     The   waves    roll   with    tremendous   force   against    the  cliffs 


i60 


THE  SOUTHERN  AND   WESTERN  COASTS. 


that  line  this  part  of  the  coast,  and  even  in  calm  weather  no  vessel 
can  venture  near  them  without  being  subjected  to  great  peril. 

Liscannor  Bay  lies  between  Spanish  Point  and  Hag's  Head,  and  is, 
we  have  already  remarked,  almost  the  only  safe  haven  on  this  part  of 
the  coast ;  it  yields  large  quantities  of  the  finny  tribe  to  the  toiling  fisher- 
men. Lahinch,  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  bay,  is  another  small  sea- 
bathing resort,  but  it  has  in  late  years  succumbed  to  the  superior  attractions 
of  Kilkee.  A  few  miles  inland  to  the  northeast  is  the  ancient  cathedral 
city  of  Kilfenora,  Cill-fionnabrach,  formerly  a  place  of  some  importance 
and  celebrated  for  the  number  of  its  crosses,  two  of  which  only  remain. 
The  venerable  cathedral  has  a  massive  square  tower,  and  contains  a  mon- 
umental effigy  supposed  to  be  that  of  the  founder,  St.  Fachnan.*  Half-a- 
dozen  miles  north  of  Lahinch  are  the  famous  spas  of  Lisdoonvarna,  to 
which  some  1500  people  flock  annually.  There  are  four  springs,  contain- 
ing in  various  proportions  sulphur,  iron,  magnesia,  and  copper ;  and  the 
waters  are  said  to  be  highly  beneficial  in  cases  of  dyspepsia,  dropsy,  and 
rheumatism,  as  well  as  in  bilious  and  scorbutic  affections. 

In  our  voyage  northward  we  sailed  out  of  Malbay  and  rounded  the 
promontory  of  Hag's  Head,  whose  nomenclature  is  thus  poetically 
accounted  for : — 

"  That  last  and  loftiest  cape,  whose  wasted  front 
Looks  down  the  Atlantic  waters  evermore, 
Far  out  above  the  main  sustains  a  gaunt 
Colossal  head  (so  seems  it)  bending  o'er 
With  stony  gaze  perpetual,  the  wild  shore." 

Here  commence  the  remarkable  cliffs  of  "  mightiest  Moher,"  which  run  in 
a  northeasterly  direction  for  five  miles  towards  Black  Head,  and  present 
to  the  sea  a  precipitous  wall  of  over  600  feet  in  height. 

"  These  iron-rifted  cliffs,  that  o'er  the  deep, 
Wave-worn  and  thunder-scarred,  enormous  lower, 
Stand  like  the  work  of  some  primeval  Power." 

They  are  neither  as  high  as  those  of  Croghan  in  Achill,  nor  Slieve  League. 

*  No  trustworthy  account  of  the  foundation  of  this  small  diocese  exists.  The  first  bishop  of  whom  an 
record  has  been  preserved  is  Christian,  who  died  in  1254.  From  1606  to  1617  the  Protestant  diocese  of 
Kilfenora  was  held  by  the  Bishop  of  Limerick  ;  in  1661  it  was  united  to  the  archbishopric  of  Tuam,  and  formed 
part  of  that  diocese  till  1742,  when  it  was  held  by  the  Bishop  of  Clonfert ;  and  in  1752  it  was  annexed  to  Kill- 
aloe.  In  the  Roman  Catholic  church  the  diocese  is  united  with  that  of  Kilmacduagh,  and  has  the  Episcopal  resi- 
dence at  Lahinch. 


THE  ARRAN  ISLAXDS. 


161 


in  Donegal,  the  latter  being  2000  feet  high,  yet  they  constitute  one  of 
the  grandest  objects  of  this  wild  coast,  and  attain  their  most  sublime 
aspect  in  rough  weather,  when  the  huge  waves  of  the  Atlantic  are  hurled 
against  them  with  mighty  force  and  crown  their  heads  with  showers  of 
spray.  A  most  extensive  view  is  obtained  from  an  observatory  on  the 
summit  of  the  highest  cliff,  and  comprises  within  the  wide  scope  of  vision, 
Loop  Head,  the  mountains  and  coast  of  Kerry,  the  Arran  Islands,  and 
the  Twelve  Pins  and  jutting  headlands  of  Connemara.  "About  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  from  the  shore,  but  apparently  close  under  the  cliffs,  a  pointed 
rock  rises  from  the  sea  to  an  altitude  of  nearly  200  feet,  and,  seen  from  some 
points  of  view,  greatly  resembles  the  tapering  spire  of  a  Gothic  church. 
In  tempestuous  weather  it  is  an  impressive  sight  to  observe  the  convulsed 
waters  thundering  and  dashing  against  this  rock,  making  its  foam-covered 
surface  look  in  the  sunlight  like  an  obelisk  of  silver.  Innumerable  sea- 
birds  build  their  nests  in  the  recesses  of  the  jutting  crags.  At  certain 
seasons  the  peasants  of  the  district  gather  the  eggs  and  feathers,  by 
lowering  an  expert  with  a  rope  tied  round  his  body." 

A  few  miles  to  the  north-west  of  Moher  lie  the  Arran  Islands 
sheltering  the  entrance  to  the  Bay  of  Galway.  They  extend  in  a  north- 
westerly direction  and  are  three  in  number — Arranmore  the  largest 
and  most  westerly,  nine  miles  long,  and  one  and  a  half  broad ;  Innis- 
main,  the  central,  three  miles  long,  and  one  and  a  half  broad ;  and 
Innisheer,  the  eastern,  two  and  a  half  miles  longr,  on  which  is  a  lig-ht- 
house  112  feet  high — the  group  forming  one  of  the  seventeen  baronies 
into  which  Galway  is  divided.  The  principal  island  has  been  poetically 
apostrophised  by  Thomas  Moore  in  the  lines — 

"  O  Arranmore,  loved  Arranmore, 

How  oft  I  dream  of  thee, 
And  of  those  days  when  by  thy  shore 
I  wandered  young  and  free  ! " 

These  islands  are  reported  by  ancient  writers  to  be  the  remains  of  a 
high  barrier  of  land,  which  the  Atlantic  broke  through  at  an  early  period 
of  the  world.  Kirwan,  the  mineralogist,  in  his  essay  on  the  "  Primitive 
State  of  the  Globe,"  supposes  the  Bay  of  Galway  to  have  been  originally 
a  granite  mountain,  shattered  and  swallowed  during  a  great  convulsion ; 
and  adds,  that  a  vast  mass  of  granite,  called  "The  Gregory,"  which 
21 


162 


THE  SOUTHERN  AND   WESTERN  COASTS. 


was  torn  to  pieces  by  lightning  in  1774,  stood  on  one  side  of  the 
islands,  100  feet  at  least,  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  Bare  as  these 
islands  are  at  present,  they  were  once  overshadowed  by  woods,  which, 
combined  with  their  retired  situation  and  wild  appearance,  rendered 
them  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  celebration  of  the  Pagan  rites  of  the  ancient 
Irish.  The  immense  cairns,  upright  stones,  circles,  altars,  and  other 
Druidical  remains  yet  to  be  seen  in  them,  prove  that  they  were 
formerly  one  of  the  favorite  retreats  of  that  mysterious  order  of  the 
heathen  priesthood.  Giraldus  Cambrensis  attributes  to  the  air  of 
these  islands  peculiar  properties  which  we  must  admit  we  are  unable 
to  learn  that  it  possesses  at  the  present  day.  He  speaks  of  the 
atmosphere  as  being  so  pure  that  it  was  needless  to  bury  dead  bodies 
owing  to  there  being  no  contagion  of  carrion  to  infect  them ;  and  that, 
though  Ireland  were  infected  with  rats  and  mice,  if  any  were  brought 
here  they  either  leapt  into  the  sea,  or  instantly  died. 

These  islands  are  still  considered  by  the  peasantry  to  contain  the 
nearest  land  to  the  far-famed  but  shadowy  island  of  O'Brazil  or  Hy 
Brizailt  the  blessed  paradise  of  the  pagan  Irish,  supposed  to  be  still 
visible  from  their  shores  on  particular  and  rare  occasions.  The  earliest 
reference  to  their  history  is  found  in  the  accounts  of  the  battle  of 
Muireadh,  in  pre-Christian  times,  "  in  which  the  Firbolgs,  having 
been  defeated  by  the  Tuatha-de-dannans,  were  driven  for  refuge  into 
Arran  and  other  islands  on  the  Irish  coast,  as  well  as  into  the 
western  islands  of  Scotland."  Three  brothers  named  Aengus,  Conchovar 
and  Mil,  are  said  to  have  come  from  Scotland  to  Arran  in  the  first 
century  of  the  Christian  era,  and  their  names  are  still  preserved  in 
the  nomenclature  of  buildings.  St.  Ibar,  a  Christian  missionary,  is  said 
to  have  resided  here  previous  to  the  advent  of  St.  Patrick.  In  the 
fifth  or  sixth  century,  St  Endeus,  having  received  a  grant  of  the  larger 
island  from  the  Christian  King  of  Munster,  established  on  it  several  religious 
institutions  and  became  the  first  abbot ;  and  the  island  soon  became  famous 
for  the  sanctity  and  learning  of  its  ecclesiastics,  many  of  whom  flocked  hither 
from  the  abbeys  of  the  mainland  to  seek  a  retreat  affording  superior 
opportunity  for  contemplation  and  study,  which  caused  it  to  obtain  the 
name  of  Ara-Naomh,  or  "Arran  of  the  Saints;"  and  many  remains 
are  still  extant    of   the    religious    edifices   these  ecclesiastics  were  wont 


THE  COAST  OF  CONN  EM  A  RA . 


163 


to  frequent.  In  546  the  islands  were  allowed  immunity  from  tribute 
by  the  Kings  of  Munster  and  Connaught ;  in  1081  the  Danes  ravaged 
the  great  island  and  its  churches;  in  1334  Sir  John  D'Arcy  with  a 
fleet  of  fifty-six  ships  plundered  the  inhabitants  and  committed  barbarous 
outrages;  in  1485  a  monastery  and  abbey  were  built  for  Franciscans; 
in  1 65 1  the  Marquis  of  Clanricarde  fortified  the  Castle  of  Ardkyn, 
which  held  out  against  the  Parliamentary  army  for  more  than  a  year 
after  the  surrender  of  Galway,  and  on  the  occupation  of  the  island 
Cromwell's  soldiers  demolished  the  great  church  of  St.  Endeus  to 
furnish  materials  for  the  repair  of  the  fort. 

The  islands  are  inhabited  by  a  population  of  about  3000  people 
residing  in  several  villages,  and  obtaining  their  livelihood  mainly  by 
fishing  and  preparing  kelp  in  the  burning  of  a  particular  species  of  sea- 
weed that  grows  upon  the  shore.  The  people  are  very  primitive  in 
their  character,  have  not  ceased  to  speak  their  native  tongue,  and 
retain  -the  manners  and  customs  of  bygone  times.  Though  the  geological 
features  of  the  group  assimilate  to  those  of  the  main-land,  and  though 
the  islands  contain  numerous  crags,  and  fissures,  and  puffing  caverns, 
still  there  are  valleys  affording  choice  pasturage  for  sheep,  while  the 
cultivation  of  the  land  is  carried  on  to  a  limited  extent. 

Although  our  destination  was  the  port  of  Galway,  before  proceeding 
thither  we  directed  our  course  round  Slyne  Head,  the  western  extremitv 
of  the  county  of  Galway  in  the  province  of  Connaught,  and  visited 
a  few  places  of  import  on  the  wild  Connemara  coast.  But,  as  we 
afterwards  journeyed  through  that  romantic  region  during  our  inland 
wanderings,  and  shall  describe  its  peculiar  features  in  our  second  volume, 
we  shall  here  but  speak  of  the  places  we  touched  at  upon  its  shores. 
No  land-view  can  equal  in  sublimity  and  grandeur  the  coast-scenery 
that  presents  itself  upon  sailing  out  of  the  Bay  of  Galway  through  the 
northern  passage  between  Arranmore  and  the  main-land.  A  succession 
of  noble  bays  open  to  the  view,  protected  from  the  fury  of  the  Atlantic 
waves  by  the  numerous  islands  which  lie  near  their  entrance.  A  glance 
at  the  map  will  be  sufficient  to  show  the  singular  formation  of  the 
coast,  whose  irregular  indentations,  running  far  into  the  land,  form  deep 
harbors,  yet  almost  so  completely  unknown  and  unfrequented,  that  scarcely 
a  sail,  save  those  of  the  poor  fishermen's  boats,  is  ever  to  be  seen  on  their 


164  THE  SOUTHERN  AND   WESTERN  COASTS. 

undisturbed  broad  waters.  Some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  extraordinary- 
facilities  which  this  sequestered  district  possesses  for  trade  and  commerce, 
when,  according  to  a  late  eminent  engineer's  report,  no  part  of  it  is 
more  than  four  miles  distant  from  existing  navigation.  "  There  are," 
says  he,  "  upwards  of  twenty  safe  and  capacious  harbors  fit  for  vessels 
of  any  burden  ;  about  twenty-five  navigable  lakes  in  the  interior,  of  a 
mile  or  more  in  length,  besides  hundreds  smaller — the  sea-coast  and  all 
these  lakes  abounding  with  fish.  The  district  with  its  islands  possesses 
no  less  than  four  hundred  miles  of  sea-shore.  On  Lough  Corrib  it 
has  about  fifty  miles  of  shore,  so  that  with  Lough  Mask,  etc.,  there 
are,  perhaps,  as  many  miles  of  the  shore  of  the  sea,  or  navigable 
lakes,  as  there  are  square  miles  of  surface."  Of  the  harbors  on  the 
sea-coast,  the  principal  are  Cashla,  Greatman's,  Kilkieran,  Bertraghboy, 
Roundstone,  Bunowen,  Ardbear,  Cleggan,  Ballynakill,  and  Killary,  which 
last  separates  the  counties  of  Galway  and  Mayo.  Kilkieran  is  the  largest 
of  these  bays  ;  it  runs  into  the  land  upwards  of  ten  miles,  and  contains 
within  its  spacious  bosom  the  inhabited  islands  of  Gorumna,  Lettermore, 
and  several  of  lesser  note. 

Bertraghboy  Bay  is  also  of  considerable  extent,  and  has  the  beautiful 
little  river  of  Ballynahinch  falling  into  it  at  its  upper  extremity.  This 
river  has  its  rise  in  Ballynahinch  Lake,  at  about  four  miles  distance 
from  the  shore.  On  the  banks  of  this  lovely  and  secluded  sheet  of 
water  stands  Ballynahinch  House,  formerly  the  residence  of  the  Martins, 
proprietors  of  the  greater  part  of  this  wild  district,  who  were  once 
veritable  Kings  of  Connemara — the  peasantry  even  now  speak  of  the  "  reign  " 
of  the  Martins,  clearly  denoting  the  almost  royal  sway*  of  this  family, 
from  whose  hands  the  immense  property  (upwards  of  200,000  acres  of 
land,  and  the  mansion)  passed  some  years  since  for  ,£180,000,  the  last 
owner  having  mortgaged  it  to  the  Law  Life  Insurance  Company.  The 
cause  of  this  loss  of  patrimonial  acres,  must,  we  fear,  be  attributed  to 
that  unselfish  and  boundless  Irish  hospitality,  and  to  that  extravagant 
manner  of  living  which  has  been  the  downfall  of  more  than  one  once 

*  It  is  related  of  Colonel  Martin,  the  representative  of  the  family  in  the  early  part  of  the  century,  that  he 
"  endeavored  to  put  the  Prince  Regent  out  of  conceit  with  the  famous  Long  Walk  of  Windsor,  by  saying  that  the 
avenue  which  led  to  his  hall-door  was  thirty  miles  in  length.  The  pleasantry  was  true  to  this  extent,  that  the  greater 
part  of  the  distance  of  forty  miles  from  Galway  to  Ballynahinch  lay  within  the  Martin  estates,  while  the  road  from 
the  one  to  the  other  stopped  short  of  the  mansion,  beyond  which,  there  was  little  else  but  rugged  paths." 


BALL  YNAHINCH  CASTLE. 


165 


wealthy  family  ;  for  Mr.  Thackeray  who  visited  Ballynahinch  in  1842,  was 
led  to  remark  from  what  he  saw  there  : — "  There  may  be  many  comparisons 
drawn  between  English  and  Irish  gentlemen's  houses  ;  but  perhaps  the 
most  striking  point  of  difference  between  the  two  is  the  immense 
following  of  the  Irish  house,  such  as  would  make  an  English  house- 
keeper crazy  almost."  And,  after  particularizing  some  of  the  domestics, 
he  added,  "  and,  if  I  might  venture  to  say  a  word  more,  it  would  be 
respecting  Connemara  breakfasts  ;  but  this  would  be  an  entire  and 
flagrant  breach  of  confidence  ;  and,  to  be  sure,  the  dinners  were  just 
as  good." 

The  mansion  is  a  plain  building,  but  the  situation  it  occupies  is  surpassingly 
beautiful,  backed  by  dark  and  lofty  hills  and  overlooking  the  lake  that  sleeps 
in  calm  repose  at  the  foot  of  the  impending  sides  of  Lettery  and  Bengower, 
which  here  form  the  front  of  the  magnificent  group  of  conical  mountains, 
called  the  Twelve  Pins  of  Binabola.  From  the  bridge  which  crosses  the 
river  near  the  house,  a  fine  view  may  be  obtained  of  the  lake  and  the 
ruins  of  the  old  castle,  standing  on  a  small  island  in  the  lake,  and  forming 
a  picturesque  object  in  the  landscape.  This  castle,  it  is  said,  was  built  by 
the  O'Flahertys  once  the  possessors  of  vast  estates  in  the  western  part  of 
the  county  and  whose  frequent  acts  of  oppression  and  lawless  violence 
obtained  for  them  the  appellation  of  "  The  bloody  O'Flahertys;"  and  so 
great  was  the  dread  felt  for  them  by  the  peaceable  inhabitants  of  Galway, 
that  the  west  gate  of  the  town  (that  on  the  side  nearest  their  troublesome 
neighbors)  bore,  while  standing,  the  inscription 

"From  the  ferocious  O'Flahertys — Good  Lord  deliver  us." 

The  downfall  of  this  turbulent  family  is  said  to  be  due  to  the  chief  of 
the  O'Flahertys  having  obtained  the  materials  for  the  erection  of  the 
castle  by  the  demolition  of  the  convent  of  Timbola  on  the  mainland, 
compelling  the  friars  to  convey  the  stones  on  their  backs  to  the  shore 
of  the  lake,  at  a  spot  which  has  in  consequence  obtained  an  Irish 
name  signifying  "  The  Friar's  Bend,"  indicative  of  the  attitude  of  bearing 
a  burden.  The  eccentric  Colonel  Martin,  who  for  many  years  represented 
the  county  in  Parliament,  once  resided  in  this  castle ;  but  it  was 
afterwards,  previous  to  its  being  allowed  to  fall  in  decay,  merely  used 
as  a  sporting-lodge. 


166 


THE  SOUTHERN  AND   WESTERN  COASTS. 


On  Roundstone  Bay,  adjoining  Bertraghboy,  stands  the  modem 
village  of  Roundstone,  built  by  the  late  Alexander  Nimmo,  the  celebrated 
engineer,  whose  scientific  knowledge  led  to  the  conviction  that  the  best 
mode  of  raising  the  commercial  prosperity  of  Ireland,  was  by  means 
of  her  noble  harbors  on  the  western  coast.  Impressed  with  this  opinion, 
he  expended  large  sums  of  money  in  building  here  a  handsome  pier 
and  erecting  houses.  His  exertions  were  received  either  with  apathy  or 
jealousy  by  those  who  should  have  aided  his  efforts,  and  he  died  in 
the  prime  of  life,  leaving  his  noble  designs  undeveloped ;  but  not  until 
he  had  done  enough  to  prove  the  soundness  of  his  theory  and  the 
correctness  of  his  expanded  views.  The  Bay  of  Roundstone  is  backed 
by  the  lofty  eminence  of  Urrisbeg,  987  feet  high,  upon  whose  steep 
acclivities  grow  many  rare  and  beautiful  plants,  and  amongst  them 
the  Mediterranean  heath,  not  we  believe  to  be  found  elsewhere  in  Ireland. 

The  popular  traveler  Inglis,  in  speaking  of  the  view  from  the  summit 
of  Urrisbeg,  describes  it  as  "more  singular  than  beautiful,"  and  adds; 
"  Here,  Connemara  is  perceived  to  be  truly  that  which  its  name  denotes 
'Bays  of  the  Sea.'  The  whole  western  coast  of  Connemara  is  laid, 
open  with  its  innumerable  bays  and  inlets  :  but  the  most  striking  and 
singular  part  of  the  view  is  that  to  the  north,  over  the  districts  called 
Urrisbeg  and  Urrismore.  These  are  wide,  level  districts,  spotted  by 
an  unaccountable  number  of  lakes,  and  mostly  entirely  uncultivated  and 
uninhabited.  I  endeavored  from  my  position  to  reckon  the  number  of  lakes, 
and  succeeded  in  counting  upwards  of  one  hundred  and  sixty.  Shoulders 
of  the  mountain,  however,  shut  out  from  the  view  some  of  the  nearer 
part  of  the  plain,  and  other  parts  were  too  distant  to  allow  any  very  accurate 
observation  ;  so  that  I  have  no  doubt  there  may  be  three  hundred  lakes, 
large  and  small,  in  this  wild  and  very  singular  district.  Several  of  the 
lakes  have  islands  upon  them,  and  by  the  aid  of  a  good  telescope  which 
I  carried  with  me,  I  perceived  that  many  of  these  islands  were  wooded." 

From  Roundstone  our  seaward  course  was  past  Ballyconnelly,  Bunowen, 
and  Ballynallama  bays,  and  of  Slyne  Head,  crowned  with  a  couple  of 
light-houses,  upon  whose  rocky  shores  the  wreck  of  many  a  stately 
ship  has  been  strewn.  On  the  northern  side  of  this  peninsula  lies  the 
sequestered  little  Bay  of  Ardbear,  on  a  navigable  inlet  on  which  stands 
the  neat  and  thriving  town  of  Clifden,  charmingly  situated  with  a  back 


CLIFDEN  AND  ITS  CASTLE. 


167 


ground  of  mountains  on  every  side  except  to  the  west,  where  it  is 
open  to  the  broad  Atlantic.  This  place  like  its  neighbor,  Roundstone, 
is  quite  a  modern  town,  there  having  been  but  one  house  on  its  site 
as  late  as  1 8 1 5  ;  and,  like  it,  Clifden  is  the  outgrowth  of  individual 
exertion.  Its  existence  is  due  to  the  forethought  of  the  late  John 
D'Arcy,  Esq.,  who  being  impressed  with  the  advantages  likely  to  arise 
from  the  establishment  of  a  town  in  such  a  position,  granted  building 
leases  in  perpetuity,  together  with  four  acres  of  the  neighboring  mountain 
land,  at  the  nominal  rent  of  twenty-five  shillings  per  annum.  The 
scheme  progressed  so  satisfactorily  that  the  town  now  possesses 
several  hundred  houses,  and  the  usual  public  edifices,  with  a  well-attended 
market,  and  considerable  export  trade  in  butter  and  grain,  for  the  traffic 
in  which,  vessels    of   200  tons  burden  load  and  unload  in  the  harbor. 

From  the  neighboring  Cloughanard  Hill,  420  feet  in  height,  there 
is  a  splendid  view  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  of  the  bold  and  rugged 
coast,  and  "of  the  innumerable  sea  inlets  that  break  through  and  enclasp 
the  land  on  all  sides  with  their  glittering  arms,"  whilst,  turning  the  eye 
landwards,  the  Twelve  Pin  Mountains  are  seen  to  great  advantage, 
especially  when  viewed  at  sun-rise.  Without  the  town,  but  sufficiently 
near  for  its  falling  waters  to  be  heard  within  its  streets,  is  a  beautiful 
watertall  upon  the  Owenglen  river  which  takes  its  rise  in  the  Twelve 
Pins.  Sir  John  Forbes  on  his  visit  here  as  far  back  as  1852  seems 
to  have  been  enraptured  with  the  place,  for  he  then  wrote :  "  Although 
I  hardly  know  in  what  the  charm  consists,  I  have  certainly  seen  no 
spot  in  Ireland  which,  from  the  attractiveness  of  mere  locality,  would 
claim  my  suffrage,  as  a  place  of  residence,  so  entirely  as  Clifden. 
Over  and  above  its  scenic  beauties,  its  position  is  such  as  to  ensure 
for  it  every  terrestial  and  climatorial  condition  that  is  found  most 
conducive  to  health." 

The  scenery  about  Clifden,  and  along  the  water-side  to  Clifden 
Castle  about  two  miles  distant  from  the  town,  is,  thinks  another 
visitor,  "more  Swiss-like  in  its  character  than  any  in  Connemara."  The 
Castle  is  a  modern  turretted  structure,  of  no  particular  beauty  in 
itself,  but  the  charm  of  its  situation  is  unrivalled.  "  Mountain  and 
wood  rise  behind,  and  a  fine  sloping  lawn  in  front  reaches  down  to 
the  land-locked  bay,  while  to  the  right  the  eye  ranges  over  the  ocean 


168 


THE  SOUTHERN  AND  WESTERN  COASTS. 


until  it  mingles  with  the  far  and  dim  horizon."  The  pleasure  grounds 
exhibit  in  their  laying  out,  considerable  taste  and  judgment,  and  may 
be  considered  examples  of  the  highest  perfection  in  landscape  gardening. 
It  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  the  D'Arcys,  who  have  done  so  much 
to  raise  the  position  of  this  portion  of  Connemara,  should  have  been 
so  reduced  by  their  liberality,  as  to  have  been  compelled  to  part  with 
their  mansion  and  demesne  which  were  some  years  ago  sold  under 
the  operation  of  the  "  Encumbered  Estates  Act." 

From  Clifden  we  sailed  round  Aughrus  Point  another  of  those  bold 
peninsulas  which,  jutting  into  the  ocean,  receive  the  first  shock  of  the 
Atlantic  billows.  A  little  to  the  northward,  and  about  six  miles  distant 
from  the  main-land,  the  island  of  Inishbofin  appeared  to  view  rearing  its 
dark  form  above  the  waves.  Though  now  little  thought  of  in  a  political 
point  of  view,  it  was  esteemed  of  sufficient  importance  during  the 
stormy  period  of  the  civil  war  to  be  made  a  place  of  arms.  A  castle 
built  there  by  Cromwell  was  besieged  by  King  William's  army,  and 
surrended  upon  honorable  terms.  Near  the  extremity  of  the  narrow 
headland  which  lies  north  of  the  harbor  of  Ballynakill  stands  the  solitary 
mansion  of  Renvyle,  which,  with  the  surrounding  improvements,  forms 
an  interesting  feature  in  the  coast  scenery,  and  engaged  our  attention 
while  our  little  cutter  was  gliding  towards  The  Killary,  a  deep,  narrow 
bay,  penetrating  inland  for  about  nine  miles,  though  in  no  part  more 
than  a  mile  in  width.  As  we  slowly  sailed  up  this  inlet  we  were 
forcibly  struck  by  the  novel  character  of  the  scenery,  which,  Mr.  Inglis 
considers  more  to  resemble  a  Norwegian  fiord  than  anything  he  had 
elsewhere  seen  nearer  home.  The  bay,  which  is  deep  enough  to  receive 
vessels  of  great  burden,  is,  in  many  places,  not  more  than  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  across  ;  and  the  shores,  rising  precipitously  from  the  water's  edge, 
impart  an  air  of  stern  grandeur  and  majestic  beauty  to  the  picture. 
But  the  banks,  though  picturesque  in  form,  are  unadorned  with  wood, 
without  which  no  landscape  can  be  perfect.  This  deficiency  was  noticed 
by  the  intelligent  tourist  just  mentioned,  who  observes  that,  "  if  the 
mountain  sides  on  the  Killary  were  wooded,  it  would  be  almost 
unnecessary  to  travel  into  Norway  in  search  of  scenery."  Now,  as  pine- 
covered  mountains  form  a  distinctive  feature  of  the  fiord,  it  is  difficult 
to  harmonize  Mr.   Inglis'  comparisons. 


MWEELREA  AND  DELPHI  LODGE 


The  scenery  on  the  north  or  Mayo  bank  is  undoubtedly  the  grandest, 
for  there  Mweelrea,  the  "  Giant  of  the  West,"  and  Bengorm,  elevate  their 
lofty  heads.  Mweelrea  is  most  correctly  pronounced  by  Frazer  to  be  the 
"grand  alpine  feature"  of  the  region,  and  in  its  visual  effect  as  surveyed 
from  the  sea,  from  which  it  directly  springs  to  a  height  of  2688  feet,  a 
sublime  object.  "  Its  summit  level  is  about  a  mile  from  the  shore,  and  its 
acclivities  extend  along  the  water  for  six  miles — that  is,  from  the  mouth  of 
the  strait  to  the  glen  of  Bundorragha  ;  and  thence  the  mountain  boundaries 
of  the  strait  are  prolonged  by  Bengorm,  which,  in  its  turn,  attains  to  an 
elevation  of  2286  feet." 

Landing  at  the  little  fishing  village  of  Bundorragha  we  proceeded  for 
a  mile  or  more  by  the  side  of  the  mountain  stream  of  the  same  name, 
which  courses  through  the  gorge,  to  Delphi  Lodge,  a  hunting  seat  which 
formerly  belonged  to  the  Marquis  of  Sligo,  but  is  now  the  property  of 
the  Hon.  Mr.  Plunket.  The  house  is  situated  on  the  eastern  side  of  the 
small  Lough  Finn,  whose  banks  are  covered  by  the  woods  planted  by  the 
former  noble  owner.  The  sides  of  the  hills,  as  they  rise  from  the  little 
lake,  are  singularly  picturesque  and  beautiful ;  for,  as  the  ranges  of  rock 
ascend,  they  assume  a  tortuous  and  wavy  form,  and  between  each  wave 
of  the  uprising  stratification,  the  fresh  green  grass  of  the  young  summer 
seemed  to  grow  luxuriantly-;  there  were  then  before  you,  as  in  manifold  varie- 
gations, the  green  and  the  gray,  tinting  the  whole  sides  of  the  mountains. 
There  are  two  lakes  in  the  valley,  the  one  close  by  the  lodge ;  and  the 
vale,  a  little  above  the  small  pleasure-ground,  taking  a  turn  at  nearly  right- 
angles,  contains  the  other,  Lough  Doo.  By  ascending  a  green  eminence 
you  can  see  both  lakes ;  the  upper  and  larger  one,  drawing  its  waters  from 
the  magnificent  Mweelrea,  must  present  sublime  views  of  the  gorges  of 
that  noble  mountain. 

We  had  here  at  the  Killary  reached  the  northern  confines  of  the 
county  of  Galway,  and  it  became  time  for  us  to  part  from  the  little  craft 
upon  whose  deck  we  had  spent  many  pleasant  days,  and  whose  locomotive 
abilities  had  enabled  us  to  visit  many  points  of  peculiar  interest.  Her 
prow  was  therefore  turned  and  we  retraced  our  seaward  course  as  far  as 
the  Arran  Islands,  where  we  entered  the  Bay  of  Galway,  and  sped  over 
its  waters,  traversing  its  entire  length,  to  the  town  from  whence  it 
derives  its  name. 
22 


170 


FROM  GAL  WAY  TO  LIMERICK. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

FROM  GALWAY  TO  LIMERICK. 

Pay  of  Galway,  for?nerly  a  lake —  Totvn  of  Galway — Spa?iish  Aspects — Origin  of  the  name — Early 
History — The  Tribes  of  Galway — Sieges  the  town  has  undergone — Lynch  Castle  and  the  Lynch 
family — Tragical  story  of  the  Warden  of  Galway — Collegiate  Church  of  St.  Nicholas — 
Queens  College — Eminent  men  of  Galway — The  Claddagh,  its  people  and  their  peculiar 
customs — Population  and  trade  of  Galway — Its  commercial  advantages — Proximity  to  America 
— Natural  features — Abbey  of  Clare — Galway — Athenry — Tuam  and  its  two  cathedrals — 
Gort — Lough  Cooler  and  its  eccentric  outlet — Cathedral  and  Round  Toioer  of  Kilmacduagh — 
Ennis — Ruined  Abbeys  of  Clare  and  Killone — Clare  Castle. 

THE  Bay  of  Galway  is  recorded  in  the  traditional  annals  of  Ireland  to 
have  been  in  the  pre-historic  period  a  freshwater  lake  known  as 
Lough  Lurgan,  one  of  the  three  principal  lakes  in  Ireland,  and  con- 
verted into  a  bay  by  the  Atlantic  breaking  over  the  barriers  and  uniting 
with  the  waters  therein ;  and,  geologically  considered,  there  seems  to  be 
little  doubt  but  that  the  bay  has  been  formed  through  a  submergence  of 
the  land,  but  whether  gradual  or  otherwise  it  is  impossible  to  determine.* 
It  is  however  certain  that  this  bay  was,  a  few  centuries  back,  one  of  the 
most  important  of  the  entrances  to  Ireland  ;  and  it  might  be  so  again  if 
proper  advantage  were  taken  of  its  geographical  position,  and  of  the 
navigation  of  the  line  of  lakes  that  connect  its  headwaters  with  the 
interior  of  the  country.  Proceeding  up  the  bay  from  the  Arran  Islands 
at  its  mouth  the  shores  exhibit  much  diversity.    On  the  right  hand  the 

*  A  castle  of  the  O'Haynes  in  the  vicinity  of  Kinvarra,  on  the  southern  shore  of  the  bay,  opposite  the  town  of 
Galway,  remarks  a  topographical  writer,  "was  shaken  down  and  partly  swallowed  up  by  the  waters,  on  the  first  of 
November,  1755 — that  day  so  memorable  for  the  awful  earthquake  at  Lisbon.  Another  neighboring  castle  shared 
the  same  fate  ;  the  rock  was  rent  into  a  chasm  several  fathoms  deep,  and  into  this  the  castle  reeled  and  fell.  This 
circumstance  is  curious,  if  taken  in  connection  with  the  legend,  which  affirms  that  ages  ago  a  beautiful  country, 
adorned  with  towns  and  villages,  flourished  where  the  western  waves  now  have  dominion,  but  during  an  earthquake 
disappeared.  There  are  many  reasons  for  believing  that  the  coast  line  of  Clare  and  Galway  was  once  exterior 
to  the  Arran  Islands." 


SPANISH  ASPECTS  OP  GAL  WA  Y. 


171 


noble  range  of  the  Burrin  Mountains,  in  the  county  of  Clare,  form  a 
majestic  boundary  to  the  scene ;  while  on  the  left  or  Galway  side  the 
country  is  delightfully  varied,  exhibiting  the  mingled  beauties  of  rich 
cultivation  and  primeval  wildness.  The  bay  is  over  thirty  miles  long,  and, 
though  not  less  than  twenty  miles  broad  at  the  mouth,  gradually  decreases 
in  breadth  as  it  penetrates  into  the  country.  Its  surface  spreads  over  an 
area  of  200  square  miles,  and  it  contains  a  number  of  inner  creeks,  inlets, 
and  harbors,  upon  one  of  which  the  port  of  Galway  stands,  near  the  head 
of  the  bay. 

Galway,  the  capital  of  Connaught,  is  mainly  situated  on  gently  rising 
ground  upon  a  tongue  of  land,  bounded  on  the  east  by  Lough  Athalia, 
an  arm  of  the  bay,  and  on  the  west  by  the  river  which  forms  the  outlet 
of  Lough  Carrib  ;  the  other  and  smaller  part  of  the  town  lying  on  the 
opposite  bank  of  the  river,  which  is  spanned  by  three  bridges,  one  of 
them,  the  present  West  Bridge,  having  some  years  ago  replaced  an  ancient 
structure  of  the  date  of  1442,  protected  by  two  tower  gateways. 

The  first  impression  received  by  a  stranger  in  Galway  induces  the 
belief  that  he  has  suddenly  been  transplanted  from  Irish  soil  to  the 
interior  of  a  foreign  city.  The  very  garb  of  the  women,  with  their  red 
petticoats  and  little  mantilla-fashioned  cloaks,  leads  to  the  conviction  that  he 
is  in  the  land  of  Velasquez  and  Murillo  ;  while  the  dark  glistening  eyes  of 
the  peasantry  betoken  a  descent  from  the  Spanish  traders,  who  brought 
their  wines  and  other  merchandise  to  Galway  when  as  a  port  it  was 
only  excelled  in  the  British  Isles  by  London  and  Dublin.  And  it  is  not 
in  the  people  alone  that  this  foreign  aspect  is  observable,  for  many  of  the 
ancient  houses  still  standing  in  different  parts  of  the  town  have  a 
decidedly  Spanish  look  about  them.  Our  view  of  a  Street  in  Galway, 
depicting  "  Lynch's  Castie,"  of  which  we  shall  have  something  to  say 
directly,  illustrates  this.  Inglis,  who  visited  Spain  prior  to  making  his  tour 
of  Ireland,  found  at  every  step  he  took  in  Galway  something  to  remind 
him  of  the  peculiar  characteristics  and  customs  of  the  cities  of  the  Iberian 
Peninsula.  "  I  found,"  he  says,  "the  wide  entries  and  broad  stairs  of  Cadiz 
and  Malaga :  the  arched  gateways  with  the  outer  and  inner  railing,  and 
the  court  within — needing  only  the  fountain  and  flower-vases  to  emulate 
Seville.  I  found  the  sculptured  gateways  and  grotesque  architecture 
which  carried  the  imagination   to   the    Moorish    cities    of  Granada  and 


172 


FROM  GAL  WAY  TO  LIMERICK. 


Valencia.  I  even  found  the  little  sliding-wicket  for  observation  in  one 
or  two  doors,  reminding  one  of  the  secresy,  mystery,  and  caution  observed, 
where  gallantry  and  superstition  divide  life  between  them." 

Galway  is  said  to  obtain  its  name  from  that  of  Gaillemh,  the  daughter 
of  Breasil,  the  prosperous  king  of  the  Firbolgs,  who  was  drowned  while 
bathing  near  a  rock,  marked  on  the  western  bank  of  the  river  in  a  map 
of  Galway  made  in  1651,  and  in  memory  of  which  event  there  was 
erected  a  monument  which  has  been  allowed  to  disappear.  Ancient  Irish 
writings,  however,  indicate  other  origins  for  the  name  of  Galway,  some 
speaking  of  it  as  Dun  Gaillve,  the  Doon  or  fortified  place  at  the  mouth 
of  the  river  Gaillve,  and  in  the  modern  vernacular  it  is  always  called 
Cahir  Gallieve ;  while  others  attribute  the  name  respectively  to  the  Gallaeci 
of  Spain,  and  to  the  Gaels  or  merchants  by  whom  the  town  was 
occupied. 

The  earliest  historical  record  we  have  of  Galway  is  the  destruction 
in  835  by  Turgesius,  the  sanguinary  Danish  commander,  when  he  overran 
Connaught,  of  the  ancient  town,  which  is  supposed  to  have  been  the 
Nagnata  of  Ptolemy.  Hardiman,  the  historian  of  the  place,  relates  that 
a  fortress  or  castle  was  built  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  soon  after  the 
defeat  of  the  Danes  at  Clontarf  in  1014,  and  that  its  erection  and  the 
improvement  of  the  town  were  viewed  with  jealousy  by  the  people  of 
Munster,  between  whom  and  those  of  Connaught  there  was  considerable 
competition.  In  1132  the  castle  was  besieged  and  taken  by  Cormac 
MacCarthy  and  a  body  of  troops  which  Connor,  king  of  Munster, 
despatched  thither  by  sea;  and  again,  in  1149,  Connaught  was  invaded, 
and  the  town  and  castle  of  Galway  destroyed  by  Turlough  O'Brien,  king 
of  Munster.  However,  after  the  invasion  of  Henry  II.,  these  ravages 
were  repaired  and  walls  erected  for  the  protection  of  the  town,  which 
drew  to  the  place  a  large  influx  of  inhabitants,  among  whom  there  were 
thirteen  families,  bearing  the  names  of  Athy,  Blake,  Bodkin,  Browne, 
D'Arcy,  Ffont,  Ffrench,  Joyes,  Kirwan,  Lynch,  Martin,  Morris,  and  Skerrett, 
"whose  descendants,"  says  the  writer  just  named,  "are  known  to  this 
day  under  the  general  appellation  of  'The  Tribes  of  Galway,'  an 
expression  first  invented  by  Cromwell's  forces,  as  a  term  of  reproach 
against  the  natives  of  the  town  for  their  singular  friendship  and  attach- 
ment to  each  other  during  the  time  of  their  unparalleled  troubles  and 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF  GAL  WAY. 


173 


persecutions,  but  which  the  latter  afterwards  adopted  as  an  honorable 
mark  of  distinction  between  themselves  and  their  cruel  oppressors."  It 
is  related  of  these  people,  that  they  were  greatly  averse  to  intercourse 
with  the  native  Irish,  an  instance  of  which  is  given  in  a  by-law  of  the 
date  of  1 5 1 8,  which  forbade  any  of  them  receiving  into  their  houses 
''at  Christemas,  Easter,  nor  no  feaste  elles,  any  of  the  Burkes,  McWilliams, 
the  Kellies,  nor  no  cepte  elles,  without  license  of  the  mayor  and  councill, 
on  payn  to  forfeit  that  neither  O'  nor  Mac  shalle  strutte  ne  swaggere 
thro'  the  streetes  of  Gallway."  This  may  in  some  measure  account  for 
their  antipathy  to  the  O'Flahertys,  of  whom  we  spoke  in  the  last 
chapter,  and  for  the  inscription  over  the  west  gate  which  we  there 
mentioned.  But,  notwithstanding  this  Anglo-Norman  origin,  the  fact  must 
not  be  lost  sight  of  that  the  favorable  position  of  Galway,  causing  it  for 
centuries  to  enjoy  the  monopoly  of  the  trade  with  Spain,  led  to  its  being 
unmistakably  impressed  with  Spanish  features,  both  in  the  architecture  of 
the  streets  and  in  the  dress  and  manners  of  the  population. 

Galway  obtained  from  Edward  III.  a  charter  of  incorporation,  which 
was  confirmed  in  successive  reigns.  It  had  obtained  the  zenith  of  its 
opulence  and  popularity  at  the  beginning  of  the  Rebellion  in  1641,  during 
which  it  was  so  staunch  in  its  loyalty  to    the    king  that  it  suffered  a 

re,  but  was  compelled  to  surrender  in  1651,  when  it  was  surrounded 
by  walls,  defended  by  fourteen  towTers,  and  entered  by  as  many  gates.  It 
was.  however,  afterwards  so  mercilessly  treated  by  the  Parliamentarians, 
that  at  the  Restoration  the  town  had  almost  completely  fallen  into  decay. 
Galway  was  once  more  besieged  after  the  battle  of  Augrim,  in  July, 
1691,  by  General  Ginkell  with  14,000  of  King  William's  troops;  and  after 
holding  out  some  days  compelled  to  surrender,  but  "on  condition  of  a 
safe  conduct  for  the  garrison  to  Limerick,  and  a  free  pardon  of  the 
inhabitants,  with  preservation  of  their  property  and  privileges."  After  the 
middle  of  the  last  century  the  fortifications  rapidly  disappeared,  and  now 
but  little  more  than  an  ancient  gateway  remains  to  mark  their  former 
importance. 

The  march  of  improvement  has  to  a  great  extent  either  obliterated 
or  practically  buried  many  of  the  ancient  remains,  so  that  now  it  is 
necessary  to  hunt  in  back  streets  for  the  Spanish  houses  that  so  charmed 
Mr.  Inglis  nearly  half  a  century  ago.     The  only  really  perfect  existing 


174 


FROM  GAL  WAY  TO  LIMERICK. 


example  is  found  in  Lynch's  Castle,  depicted  in  our  street  view,  a  large 
square  building,  corner  of  Shop  and  Abbeygate  Streets.  It  is  richly 
decorated  with  ornamental  mouldings  and  cornices  with  grotesque  heads, 
and  bears  a  medallion  containing  the  arms  of  the  family  with  their  crest, 
a  lynx,  as  well  as  the  carved  figure  of  a  monkey  and  child,  betokening 
the  saving  of  an  infant  by  a  favorite  monkey  on  the  occasion  of  the 
burning  of  the  house.  The  name  of  this  family  is  believed  to  have 
originally  been  Linz,  the  founder  having  come  from  a  place  in  Austria 
so  called,  of  which  a  member  was  governor  during  a  siege,  and  as  a 
reward  for  his  energy  he  was  permitted  to  adopt  the  sharp-sighted  lynx 
for  his  crest.  The  family  immigrated  to  Ireland  in  the  thirteenth  century, 
and  flourished  to  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth,  and  the  records  of  the 
city  show  that  during  their  time  they  seem  to  have  been  public  bene- 
factors. "  In  1484  Pierce  Lynch  was  made  first  mayor  under  the  charter 
of  Richard  III.,  while  his  son,  Stephen,  was  appointed  first  warden  by 
Innocent  VIII.,  and  during  the  period  of  169  years  84  members  of 
this  family  were  mayors." 

A  tragical  story,  which  has  afforded  a  theme  for  romance  and  drama, 
is  connected  with  this  family.  The  scene  of  the  occurrence  in  Lombard 
Street  (known  as  Dead  Man's  Lane),  is  still  marked  by  a  skull  and 
cross-bones  in  black  marble  placed  over  a  doorway,  and  the  motto 

Remember  Deathe — Vaniti  of  Vaniti,  and  all  is  but  Vaniti. 

1524- 

Briefly  narrated  the  story  runs  thus  :  James  Lynch  Fitzstephen,  Warden 
of  Galway  in  1493,  traded  largely  with  Spain,  to  which  country  he  sent 
his  son  on  a  voyage  to  purchase  and  bring  back  a  cargo  of  wine. 
Young  Lynch,  however,  wasted  the  money  intrusted  to  him  and  obtained 
credit  from  a  Spanish  merchant,  who  sent  a  young  relative  back  with 
him  to  obtain  payment  and  establish  further  intercourse.  As  the  ship 
approached  her  destination,  the  former  determined  upon  concealing  his 
crime  by  committing  another,  and  so,  having  prevailed  upon  his  crew  to 
participate  therein,  threw  the  young  Spaniard  overboard.  On  his  return 
home,  the  warden's  son  was  received  with  joy,  and  eventually  became 
himself  a  prosperous  merchant.  Time  lulled  every  sense  of  danger,  and 
he  was   on   the   eve   of  wedding  the  daughter  of  a  wealthy  neighbor, 


STOR  Y  OF  THE  WARD  EX  OF  GAL  WA  Y. 


ITS 


when   one   of  the   seamen   on  the  point  of  death,  being  stricken  with 
remorse,  summoned  old  Lynch  to  his  bedside  and  confessed  the  villany 
of  his  only  and  beloved  son.    Young  Lynch  was  tried,  found  guilt}-,  and 
sentenced  to  execution — the  father  being  his  judge.     But  the  wretched 
prisoner  had  many  friends  and  relatives,  who  resolved  on  preserving  him 
from  a  shameful  death.    When  the  day  of  execution  dawned,  the  father 
rose   and   assisted  the  executioner  to   remove  the  fetters  which  bound 
his  unfortunate    son.  and   then,  unlocking  the  prison  door  in  order  to 
proceed  to  the  scaffold,  placed  the  culprit  between  the  priest  and  himself; 
but  their  progress  was  soon  arrested  by  a   clamorous  throng  collected 
by  the  wretched  mother,  whom,  failing  in  her  personal  exertions,  she  had 
prevailed  upon  to  effect  a  rescue.     For  this  purpose  they  had  armed 
themselves,  and  their  outcries  for  mercy  would  have  shaken  any  nerves 
less  firm  than  those  of  the  warden,  who,  first  exhorted  them  to  yield 
submission  to  the  laws,  and  then,  finding  his  efforts  useless  to  accomplish 
the  ends  of  justice  by  the  hands  of  the  executioner  at  the  usual  place, 
determined,  by  a  desperate  victor}-  over  parental  feeling,  to  perform  the 
sacrifice  himself.     Therefore,  retaining  hold  upon  his  son,  he  mounted 
with    him   by. a   winding   stair   to   an   arched   window  overlooking  the 
crowded  street,  and  then  securing  to  an  iron  staple  in  the  wall  one  end 
of  the   ropeT  of  which   the   other  had  already  been  placed  round  the 
culprit's   neck,  he  took  a  last  embrace,  and  finally  gave  the  law  its  due 
by  launching  his  son  into  eternity-.     The   intrepid   magistrate  expected 
instant  death  from  the  fury  of  the  populace ;  but  the  people  seemed  so 
much  overawed  or  confounded  by  the  magnanimous  act  that  they  retired 
slowly  and   peaceably  to   their   several  dwellings.     The  unhappy  father 
ever  after  secluded  himself  from  all  society,  except  that  of  his  mourning 
family. 

The  collegiate  Church  of  St.  Nicholas,  an  ancient  structure  dating  from 
1320,  and  now  judiciously  restored,  was  in  early  days  much  associated 
with  the  Lynches,  one  of  whom  built  the  south  transept,  while  others 
contributed  to  its  adornment.  The  interior  contains  monument^ 
dedicated  to  various  members  of  the  family,  and  especially  one  to  the 
stern  warden  who  figured  so  prominently  in  the  tragedy  just  related. 
It  is  a  cruciform  building,  consisting  of  "nave,  with  aisles,  chancel, 
transepts,  and  centre  tower,  surmounted  by  a  singular  pyramidal  belfry 

BOSTOS  COLLt,;t  Ui^-uiy 
CHE6TSUT  til  I J 


176 


FROM  GAL  WAY  TO  LIMERICK. 


of  much  later  date  than  the  rest  of  the  church.  The  breadth  across 
the  transepts  is  126  feet,  and  the  total  length  152  feet."  The  east  and 
west  windows  were  formerly  remarkable  for  their  beautiful  stained  glass. 
Galway  was  anciently  included  within  the  diocese  of  Annaghdown  or 
Enachdone,  whose  dilapidated  ecclesiastical  buildings  lie  a  few  miles  to 
the  north,  but  it  was  in  1324  united  to  the  archbishopric  of  Tuam.  The 
church  was  in  1484  made  collegiate,  and  was  afterwards  put  under  the 
charge  of  a  warden  who  had  jurisdiction  distinct  from  that  of  the 
diocese ;  but  on  the  death  of  the  last  warden,  and  the  last  of  his  kind 
in  Ireland — 1840 — it  again  became  subject  to  the  see  of  Tuam  ;  and  thus 
from  the  title  of  city,  which  Galway  had  held  for  some  centuries,  it  was 
reduced  to  that  of  town.  In  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  Galway  is 
the  seat  of  a  diocese,  and  has  three  places  of  worship  with  several 
monasteries  and  nunneries. 

The  principal  part  of  the  town  is  Eyre  Square,  in  which  are  situated 
the  leading  hotels,  railway  station,  bank,  club  house,  several  private 
residences,  and  a  statue  of  Lord  Dunkellin,  late  M.  P.  for  the  county. 
In  other  parts  there  are  the  usual  buildings  of  a  county  town, 
with  two  barracks,  a  "tholsel"  or  exchange,  a  handsome  modern  court 
house  with  a  Doric  front,  and  a  jail,  remarkable  for  being  built  without 
any  timber.  Galway  also  possesses  one  of  the  three  modern  colleges 
instituted  in  1845,  and  of  which  we  have  already  spoken  of  that  of  Cork. 
Queciis  College,  situated  on  a  fine  open  site  on  the  west  side  of  the 
river,  is  a  neat  Gothic  building  with  a  spacious  quadrangle,  from  designs 
by  Mr.  J.  B.  Keane,  and  was  opened  for  the  reception  of  students  in 
1849.  The  general  conduct  and  the  course  of  studies  pursued  being 
similar  to  those  at  the  sister  institution  at  Cork,  it  is  unnecessary  to 
repeat  them  here.  This  "Western  Metropolis"  has  in  the  past  been 
either  the  birthplace,  early  home,  or  school  residence  of  many  eminent 
men,  among  whom  we  may  name  Lynch,  the  author  of  "Cambrensis 
Eversus,"  Kirwan,  the  chemist,  and  Kirwan,  the  orator,  Duald  MacFirbis, 
the  genealogist  and  antiquary,  Roger  O'Flaherty  and  James  Hardiman, 
the  historians,  and  Father  Peter,  who  was  for  so  long  a  period  "the 
man  for  Galway." 

One  of  our  illustrations  represents  a  view  of  Galway  from  the 
Claddagh,  a  populous  maritime  suburb   of  some    thousand  inhabitants. 


THE  KING  OF  THE  CLAD  DA  GHS. 


177 


lving  to  the  right  of  the  harbor.  The  dwellers  are  fishermen  of  a 
strange,  gipsy-like  character,  who  till  lately  held  aloof  from  the  inhabitants 
of  the  town  of  Galway,  whom  they  looked  upon  as  "transplanters."'  It 
has  long  been  their  custom  to  adhere  to  certain  primitive  local  laws, 
one  being  the  annual  election  of  a  fisherman  as  11  King  of  the  Claddagh  " 
who  was  appealed  to  upon  all  disputed  points  in  which  his  decision 
was  final.  His  majesty's  boat  was  distinguished  from  that  of  his  subjects 
by  having  white  colors  flying  from  the  mast-head.  Wright  remarks  of 
the  annual  election  of  mayor  and  sheriffs  by  the  Claddagh  boys,  on 
St.  John's  eve  :  "  Their  mock  ceremony  is  accompanied  by  real  mirth  ; 
fires  are  lighted  up  in  various  places  through  the  town,  round  which 
boys  and  girls  dance  in  joyous  hilarity,  armed  with  long-handled  besoms 
made  of  dock-stems,  with  which  they  gently  touch  each  passenger  who 
refuses  to  obey  the  mandate  of  '  honor  the  bonfire.'  The  attendants 
of  the  mayor  and  sheriffs  are  also  armed  with  like  rude  fasces  of 
authority,  which  in  the  plenitude  of  fun,  are  ultimately  set  on  fire, 
and  whirled  round  over  the  heads  of  the  noisy  corporation." 

These  Claddagh  people,  who  are  quiet,  temperate  and  industrious, 
are  peculiar  in  both  their  dialect,  which  differs  from  the  Irish  of  other 
districts,  and  in  their  dress  ;  but  in  the  personal  features  of  the  women 
the  dark  eyes  and  blue-black  hair  of  other  Galway  girls  are  apparent. 
They  always  intermarry  among  themselves  and  consequently  are  all 
cousins,  uncles,  and  aunts.  One  of  their  primitive  customs  makes  the 
wedding-ring  an  heirloom,  descending  from  mother  to  daughter.  "  The 
rings  are  of  massive  gold,  and  usually  decorated  with  a  heart,  in  some 
instances  bearing  a  crown  upon  the  top  supported  upon  two  clasped 
hands.  So  superstitious  are  they  with  regard  to  the  pattern  of  the 
ring,  that  they  would  not  consider  a  marriage  legal  were  the  ordinary 
wedding-ring  substituted  instead."  Sir  John  Forbes  tells  us  that  he  was 
informed  that  the  Claddaghites  "  had  very  rigid,  yet  rather  peculiar 
notions  respecting  hospitality  to  strangers,  within  their  own  precincts. 
Let  a  stranger  insult  a  Claddaghite  ever  so  much  in  Claddagh,  all 
must  be  borne  with  calmness  and  equanimity,  and  no  retaliation  thought 
of  there.  The  stranger  is.  however,  carefully  guarded  out  of  the  sacred 
limits,  and  then  the  Claddaghites  are  said  to  take  their  revenge,  with 
full  interest  for  delay  of  repayment " 

23 


178 


FROM  GAL  WAY  TO  LIMERICK. 


Between  the  years  1820  and  1850  the  area  of  Galway  covered  by 
buildings  was  enlarged  one-fourth,  and  the  population,  trade,  and  com- 
merce also  increased,  but  in  a  somewhat  less  ratio.  Since  1850,  however, 
the  number  of  inhabitants  has  fallen  off,  the  population  in  1871  having 
been  13,134,  returning  two  members  to  Parliament;  but  the  trade  has 
been  increased  by  the  introduction  of  several  industrial  establishments, 
among  them  the  Iodine  Chemical  Works,  for  the  manufacture  of  iodine 
from  sea-weed.  And  yet,  says  James  Frazer,  "  considering  the  vast 
natural  advantages  which  Galway  possesses — her  geographical  position, 
her  fisheries,  her  deep,  sheltered  and  capacious  bay,  her  immense  water 
power  in  Lough  Corrib,  now  rendered  navigable  for  steamers,  containing 
an  area  43,485  statute  acres,  running  up,  as  it  were,  to  the  borders 
of  the  town,  there  maintaining  a  level  of  thirty  feet  above  the  sea,  and 
discharging  a  mighty  volume  of  water  through  her  very  centre,  her 
inexhaustible  supply  of  limestone  and  granite,  alike  suited  to  every 
structural  purpose  to  which  these  rocks  are  applicable,  and  these  minerals 
separated  only  by  the  channel  through  which  the  river  carries 
the  redundant  waters  of  the  lough  to  the  ocean  ;  add  to  all  these 
natural  and  adventitious  advantages  the  facilities  which  government  has 
afforded  to  her  trade  and  commerce  in  the  formation  of  tidal  and 
floating  docks,  the  deepening  of  the  Corrib  River,  and  in  the  equal 
distribution  of  its  great,  and,  comparatively  speaking,  unemployed  water 
power ;  the  connection  of  the  lough  with  the  docks  by  means  of  an 
admirably  constructed  canal,  at  the  same  time  rendering  it  fit  for  steamers 
to  ply  on  ;  and  the  extension  of  a  railway  (opened  in  1851)  which 
connects  the  town  with  the  different  parts  of  the  kingdom  ;  considering, 
we  would  repeat,  all  these  governmental  aids,  natural  advantages, 
and  the  many  other  resources  which  kind  nature  has  distributed  so 
liberally  around  this  ancient  town,  as  if  it  were  to  woo  her  inhabitants 
to  the  paths  of  industry,  of  independence,  and  of  peace,  it  is  impossible 
to  overlook  either  the  apathy  with  which  all  these  advantages  have  for 
so  many  years  been  regarded,  or  the  inefficiency  of  the  means 
which  even  now  are  employed  for  their  proper  application  to  industrial 
progress."  It  is,  however,  a  hopeful  sign  that  public  attention  has  been 
at  last  aroused  to  these  advantages,  which,  if  properly  appreciated,  must 
enhance  in  an  important  degree  the  welfare  of  Galway. 


THE  ABBEY  OF  CLARE-GAL  WA  Y. 


179 


Considerable  public  attention  was  attracted  to  Galway  in  1858  by 
the  opening  of  steam  communication  between  that  port  and  America 
under  the  favorable  auspices  of  a  subsidy  from  the  British  Government 
— one  of  the  mail  steamers  performing  the  distance  from  Cape  Race 
in  four  days  and  twenty-three  hours.  Owing  to  an  alleged  breach  of 
contract  the  subsidy  was  withdrawn  in  1 86 1.  It  was  restored  in  1863, 
but  it  again  lapsed  the  following  year,  through  mismanagement  on  the 
part  of  the  company,  which  consequently  ceased  to  exist.  As  the 
British  station  for  trans-atlantic  intercourse  between  the  old  world  and 
the  new,  Galway  undoubtedly  possesses  the  advantage  of  the  greatest 
proximity  to  America,  for  it  is  only  1636  miles  to  St.  Johns,  New- 
foundland, 2165  to  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia,  2385  to  Boston,  Mass.,  and 
2700  to  New  York. 

Behind  the  town  of  Galway  the  land  rises  into  a  succession  of  bold 
and  picturesque  hills,  which  stretch  along  Lough  Corrib  as  far  as  Killary 
Harbor  to  the  northwest,  inclosing  within  their  chain  the  wild  and  romantic 
Connemara  and  Joyce's  Country.  We  shall  describe  these  latter  districts 
in  our  second  volume,  to  which  we  shall  also  defer  an  account  of  Lough 
Corrib,  as  it  geographically  belongs  to  what  has  not  inaptly  been  termed 
the  Alpine  region  of  Western  Ireland. 

Before  leaving  this  district  we  visited  the  interesting  ruins  of  the 
Abbey  of  Clare-Galway,  six  miles  northwest  of  the  town  and  upon 
the  banks  of  a  stream  of  the  same  name,  which  conveys  the  surplus  water 
from  Turloughmore  Lough  to  Lough  Corrib.  The  venerable  edifice  was 
founded  for  Franciscans  in  1290  by  John  De  Cogan,  a  descendant  of  Miles 
Cogan,  one  of  the  companions  in  arms  of  Strongbow.  It  is  cruciform  in 
shape,  with  nave,  choir,  and  transepts,  surmounted  by  a  graceful  tower  of 
three  stages,  and  possesses  an  Eastern  window,  which,  though  greatly 
dilapidated,  still  exhibits  marks  of  great  beauty.  A  portion  of  the  building 
was  restored  a  few  years  ago  for  the  use  of  some  friars  of  the  order  to 
which  it  originally  belonged.  Near  the  abbey  are  the  ivy-covered  remains 
of  a  massive  square  tower,  which  formed  part  of  a  castle  built  at  the 
close  of  the  fifteenth  century  by  the  Burkes  or  De  Burgos,  and  was 
garrisoned  by  the  Marquis  of  Clanricarde  in  the  war  of  1641.  "  It 
would  indeed,"  says  the  Picturesque  Tourist  of  Ireland.,  "  be  difficult  to 
find  a  prettier  combination  for  a  picture    than    that   presented   by  the 


180 


FROM  GAL  WAY  TO  LIMERICK. 


abbey,  as  seen  from  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  and  so  happily 
chosen  by  W.  H.  Bartlett,  Esq.  ;  in  the  foreground,  the  limpid  stream, 
ruffled  by  the  miniature  cataract  at  hand  ;  the  dark  bridge  which  spans 
it,  with  the  strong  square  keep  of  the  old  castle  on  the  opposite  side  ; 
and  beyond,  the  ruined  church  with  its  Gothic  windows  and  ivy- 
mantled  tower." 

From  Galway  we  proceeded  by  railway  to  Limerick,  a  distance  of 
73  miles,  our  route  lying  for  the  first  thirteen  miles  upon  the  line 
to  Dublin  as  far  as  Athenry,  where  the  road  is  crossed  by  another 
line  connecting  the  city  of  Tuam  on  the  north  with  that  of  Limerick 
on  the  south.  Emerging  from  the  magnificent  Galway  station  we  were 
carried  over  a  portion  of  Lough  Athalia  by  a  splendid  bridge,  and 
skirted  the  northern  shore  of  the  bay  to  Oranmore  lying  at  the  head 
of  one  of  its  numerous  arms,  and  thence  over  a  moorland  tract  and 
along  the  northern  margin  of  the  great  plain  that  was  once  the  hunting 
ground  of  Queen  Meave,  to  Athenry,  the  city  of  "  the  ford  of  the 
King,"  said  to  be  the  most  ancient  town  in  Galway,  and  to  have  been 
the  chief  burial  place  of  the  Earls  of  Ulster  and  of  the  principal 
families  of  Connaught.  Its  old  walls  and  gateway  are  in  fair  preservation 
and  the  town  is  crowded  with  ancient  civil,  military,  and  ecclesiastical 
remains,  beyond  which  there  is  nothing  to  interest  the  visitor. 

From  Athenry  we  made  an  excursion  of  sixteen  miles  to  the  ancient 
ecclesiastical  and  now  evidently  thriving  little  city  of  Tuam,  the  seat  of 
a  Roman  Catholic  Archbishop  and  of  a  Protestant  Bishop*.  An  abbe)-, 
said  to  have  been  founded  here  in  487,  was  converted  into  a  cathedral 
by  St.  Jarlath  in  the  sixth  century  ;  and  the  sacred  structure  after 
passing  through  many  vicissitudes  has  been  recently  restored  by  Mr. 
Deane  of  Dublin,  who  has  preserved  many  of  its  important  features. 
An  arch,  a  chief  feature  in  the  chancel  of  the  old  structure,  now  forms 
the   western    doorway   and   is    "  as  magnificent  a  specimen  of  Norman 

*  The  diocese  of  Tuam  was  founded  by  Si.  Jarlath,  at  Cluain  Fois,  near  Tuam,  about  501  ;  and  in  11 52  was 
made  archiepiscopal,  under  Edan  O'Hoisin.  In  1559  it  was  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  Mayo  (founded  in  665), 
and  in  1573  by  that  of  Annaghdown.  In  the  Protestant  Church,  Kilfenora  formed  part  of  the  archbishopric  from 
1661  to  1742  ;  in  1742  Ardagh  was  incorporated  with  it,  but  transferred  to  Kilmore  and  Elpin  in  1839,  when  Tuam 
ceased  to  be  a  metropolitan  diocese  ;  and  by  the  act  of  1833  Killala  and  Achonry  were  annexed  to  Tuam  on  their 
voidance  in  the  following  year.  In  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  Tuam  is  an  archiepiscopal  and  Killala  and  Achonry 
distinct  episcopal  dioceses,  with  episcopal  residences  of  the  latter  at  Ballina  and  Ballaghadereen  respectively. 


GORT  AND  LOUGH  COOTER. 


181 


work  as  any  building  in  Great  Britain  can  boast."  An  ancient  cross, 
erected,  like  the  cathedral,  of  red  sandstone,  and  once  broken  into 
three  pieces  and  divided  amongst  as  many  owners,  has  also  been 
restored  by  the  re-union  of  its  parts.  It  bears  inscriptions  commemora- 
tive of  O'Hoisin  the  abbot,  and  of  Turlough  O'Connor,  King  of  Con- 
naught,  who  founded  a  priory  here  in  1140,  which  along  with  other 
ecclesiastical  edifices,  were  destroyed  by  fire  in  1240.  The  Roman 
Catholic  Cathedral,  one  of  the  finest  of  its  kind  in  Ireland,  was  erected 
in  1823,  and  is  an  elaborate  cruciform  edifice,  of  the  pointed  Gothic 
style,  with  highly  decorated  interior  ;  and  as  it  is  picturesquely  situated 
on  elevated  ground,  forms  a  prominent  feature  in  the  landscape.  The 
College  of  Jarlath,  formed  in  1814,  is  an  institution  for  the  education  of 
Roman  Catholic  priests.  Within  the  last  few  years  the  town  has  greatly 
improved  both  in  the  aspect  of  its  streets  and  in  the  volume  of  its 
trade  ;  and  Tuam  has  now  become  a  great  thoroughfare,  and  an 
important  commercial  centre, 

The  first  place  of  any  importance  that  we  reached  upon  our  railway 
ride,  south  of  Athenry,  was  the  town  of  Gort,  which  Thackeray  found 
to  be  in  1842,  "  a  regularly  built  little  place,  with  a  square  and  street," 
which,  he  added,  "  looked  as  if  it  wondered  how  the  deuce  it  got 
into  the  midst  of  such  a  desolate  country,  and  seemed  to  bore  itself 
considerably."  It  is,  however,  now  an  important  little  market-town  in 
which  cattle  fairs  are  held  several  times  in  the  year.  In  its  immediate 
vicinity  is  Lough  Cooter  which  the  guide  book  tells  us  "  is  surrounded 
by  woods  and  meadows,  rocks  and  mountains,  in  the  most  diversified 
style  ;  it  holds,  like  jewels  in  its  sparkling  waters,  seven  islands  of  the 
freshest  emerald  lustre  ;  whilst  on  its  shores,  and  close  enough  to 
reflect  itself  in  the  lake,  rises  a  magnificent  castellated  mansion," 
erected  by  Lord  Gort,  and  subsequently  the  property  of  Viscount 
Gough,  the  distinguished  Indian  commander,  by  whom  it  was  enlarged. 
From  this  lough  issues  a  stream,  which  after  running  through  a  deep 
wooded  ravine  reaches  "  the  Ladle,"  a  precipitous  hollow  clothed  with 
trees  to  the  water's  edge,  where  it  disappears  under  a  perpendicular 
rock,  and  then  a  hundred  yards  further  on  emerges  in  "  the  Punch- 
Bowl,"  a  circular  basin  90  feet  in  diameter  and  150  in  depth,  situated 
in  a  similar  hollow.     It  again  disappears  for  300  yards  and  emerging  takes 


182 


FROM  GALWAY  TO  LIMERICK. 


/ 


the  name  of  the  Blackwater,  and  after  running  rapidly  for  a  short 
distance  once  more  disappears.  At  the  "  Beggarman's  Hole,"  a 
smaller  basin  than  the  "  Punch-Bowl,"  it  is  again  visible,  and  soon 
afterwards  enters  the  "  Churn,"  resembling  an  extremely  deep  well,  ten 
feet  in  diameter.  A  quarter  of  a  mile  further  it  re-appears  from  under 
a  beautiful  natural  arch  in  the  rock,  passes  through  the  town  of  Gort 
and  then  sinks  again,  and  finally,  after  alternately  appearing  and  disappear- 
ing, flows  by  a  subterraneous  channel  into  the  Bay  of  Kinvarra. 

Three  miles  to  the  south-west  of  Gort  are  the  ruined  cathedral  and 
seven  churches  and  the  Round  Tower  of  Kilmacduagh,  where  St.  Colman, 
son  of  Duach,  founded  a  see*  in  the  seventh  century,  the  date  also 
ascribed  to  the  erection  of  the  Round  Tower.  The  latter  is  remarkable 
for  leaning  out  of  the  perpendicular  over  seventeen  feet  ;  and  a  few 
years  since  the  fall  of  the  upper  portion  of  the  western  side,  brought 
down  four  out  of  the  eight  small  windows  by  which  the  top  floor  was 
lighted,  and  caused  such  a  rift  in  and  bulging  of  the  wall,  as  to  make, 
its  condition  precarious.  It  is  traditionally  stated  to  have  been  the 
work  of  Ghoban  Saer,  the  architect  of  Antrim  and  Glendalough  Towers. 
The  doorway  is  twenty-six  feet  from  the  ground,  and  has  a  semi-circular 
arch,  hewn  out  of  the  horizontal  stone.  The  church  was  built  for 
St.  Colman  by  his  kinsman  Guaine  Aidhne,  King  of  Connaught,  and 
is  characterized  by  a  Cyclopean  doorway  which  was  closed  up  in  the 
fourteenth  or  fifteenth  century,  when  the  church  was  partially  rebuilt 
and  enlarged,  and  a  new  doorway  in  the  Pointed  style  inserted  in  the 
south  wall.  The  relics  of  the  seven  churches  can  now  hardly  be 
traced. 

A  few  miles  after  leaving  Gort,  we  passed  from  the  county  of 
Galway  into  that  of  Clare,  and  left  the  province  of  Connaught  once 
more  to  re-enter  that  of  Munster.  The  country  along  the  line  of  rail- 
way is  dreary  and  uninteresting,  the  eye  being  wearied  by  the  sight 
of  the  bare  limestone  crags,  but  here  and  there  relieved  by  intervening 
spots  of  cleared  land  which  have  evidently  been  won  by  incredible 
labor  from  the  general  waste.  A  run  of  eighteen  miles  from  Gort 
brought  us  to  Ennis  the  county    town,  and   a    Parliamentary  borough, 

*  The  Protestant  bishopric  of  Kilmacduagh  was  annexed  to  Clonfert  in  1602,  and  the  two  sees  were  added  to 
Killaloe  by  the  act  of  1833.    In  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  the  see  of  Kilmacduagh  is  united  with  that  of  Kilfenora. 


EXJOS  AXD  CLARE  CASTLE. 


ua 


having  in  1871  a  population  of  7175  and  returning  one  member.  This 
place,  under  the  name  of  Iniscluan  ruadha.  was  celebrated  for  a 
Franciscan  abbey  founded  in  1240  by  Donald  Cabrac  O'Brien,  Prince 
of  Thomond,  whose  descendant  on  laying  down  his  title  of  O'Brien, 
and  receiving  that  of  Earl  of  Thomond,  in  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII.. 
so  enraged  his  liege-men  and  followers  that  they  fired  his  dwelling 
and  would  have  burned  him  in  the  flames  but  for  the  interference  of 
McClanchy,  the  Chief-justice  of  the  native  Irish  in  North  Munster. 
The  remains  of  the  abbey  form  part  of  the  old  parish  church  and 
are  rendered  picturesque  by  ivy-covered  gables,  and  a  five-light  Early 
Pointed  window.  The  interior  contains  the  abbot's  chair,  and  the 
ancient  altar,  both  adorned  with  highly  sculptured  figures  in  relief 
Ennis  also  contains  a  handsome  new  church  ;  several  other  places  of 
worship  ;  a  classic  gray-marble  court-house  ;  and  a  column  erected  to 
the  memory  of  Daniel  O'Connell,  who  represented  Clare  in  the  House 
of  Commons.  It  is  situated  on  the  Fergus,  a  mile  down  which  are  the 
ruins  of  Clare  Abbey,  a  graceful  cruciform  church  with  a  lofty  tower, 
erected  by  Donald  O'Brien,  King  of  Limerick  ;  and  a  couple  of 
miles  further  south,  and  pleasantly  situated  on  the  banks  of  Killone 
Lough,  stands  the  ruined  abbey  of  Killone,  founded  at  the  same  time 
as  Clare  by  a  daughter  of  O'Brien,  who  "  excelled  all  the  women  in 
Munster  for  piety,  almsdeeds,  and  hospitality."  Two  miles  below  Ennis 
is  the  little  town  of  Clare  Castle,  which,  from  its  position  at  the 
mouth  of  the  river  Fergus,  and  at  the  head  of  the  estuary  of  that 
name,  an  internal  basin  of  the  Shannon,  ought,  as  Mr.  Inglis  justly 
observes,  to  have  been  the  county  seat.  The  old  castle,  now  used  as 
infantry  barracks,  is  situated  on  an  island  in  the  bed  of  the  river 
connected  with  the  banks  by  bridges,  and  beneath  its  wall  the  river 
rushes  over  a  ledge  of  rocks  to  meet  the  tide-water. 

From  Clare  Castle  the  railway  runs  in  a  south-easterly  direction 
for  twenty-two  miles  to  Limerick.  The  tourist,  as  he  approaches  the 
termination  of  this  journey,  has  a  good  view  of  the  noble  estuary  of 
the  Shannon  on  his  right,  and  then,  n earing  the  city,  and  crossing 
that  river,  he  winds  round  one-half  the  town  to  the  general  terminus 
for  all  the  railroads  that  enter  it. 


184 


LIMERICK  AND  THE  LOWER  SHANNON. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


LIMERICK   AND   THE   LOWER  SHANNON. 


Kilrush — Scattery  Island,  its  Churches  and  Legends — Grave  of  "  The  Collaen  Bawn" — Tarbert — 
Castle  of  Glin — Foynes — Adare,  its  Castle  and  Ecclesiastical  Edifices — Castle  of  Bunratty — 
Carrig-o-Gunnell  Castle,  and  its  Commanding  View — Approach  to  Limerick — Wellesley  Bridge 
— English  and  Irish  Towns — Newton  Pery — Limerick  compared  with  New  York — The 
Bridges — Historical  Events  and  Memorable  Sieges — The  Violated  Treaty — Limerick  Castle — 
Old  Thomond  Bridge  and  the  Treaty  Stone — St.  Mary's  Cathedral — Legend  of  its  Bells — 
Other  Religious  Structures — Public  Buildings  and  Commercial  Enterprises — Limerick  Lasses 
and  Street  Minstrels — Garryowen — Mungret  and  its  Monastic  Remains. 

\  S   we   shall   devote   the   two   next  chapters  to  a  description  of  the 


A  scenery  along  the  banks  of  the  most  important  of  Irish  streams, 
it  is  better  we  should  speak  of  Limerick,  the  leading  city  on  its 
shores,  in  its  proper  geographical  position.  We  shall  therefore  ask  the 
reader  to  join  us  at  the  river's  mouth,  whither  we  must  be  supposed 
to  have  transported  ourselves  by  one  of  the  steamboats  that  traverse 
its  waters. 

In  our  voyage  along  the  western  coast  of  Ireland  we  crossed  the 
mouth  and  inspected  the  headlands  of  the  Shannon,  {Shan,  old  ;  Avon, 
a  river)  we  accordingly  now  commenced  the  ascent  of  that  stream 
from  Kilrush,  a  score  miles  from  its  embouchure,  and  the  place  at  which 
we  have  previously  stated  steamboat  passengers  from  Limerick  to 
Kilkee  disembark  and  transfer  themselves  to  land  conveyances.  Kilrush, 
a  thriving  little  town,  the  second  in  importance  in  the  county  of 
Clare,  is  situated  at  the  head  of  a  small  inlet  and  possesses  a  quay  at 
which  steamboats  can  land  their  passengers  at  any  state  of  the  tide. 
It  is  rendered  quite  lively  in  summer  time  owing  to  its  being  the 
thoroughfare  by  which,  we  repeat,  tourists  approach  Kilkee,  and 
to    which    it    is   becoming   a   not   insignificant  rival,  from  its  favorable 


SCATTER Y  ISLAND  AND  ST.  SEN  AN. 


185 


position  on  the  northern  bank  of  the  Shannon,  and  its  proximity  to 
the  wide  Atlantic. 

In  leaving  Kilrush  to  sail  up  the  Shannon  we  immediately  passed 
Scattery  Island,  a  mile  from  the  northern  shore  and  three  miles  in  cir- 
cumference, containing  a  village,  lighthouse,  and  battery,  with  a  Round 
Tower,  some  monastic  ruins,  and  a  holy  well  to  which  it  is  indebted  for  its 
celebrity.  The  legend  of  this  place,  called  in  Irish  Inis-Cathaig,  is  that  it 
was  the  residence  in  pre-historic  times  of  an  amphibious  monster,  who 
guarded  it  by  day,  and  by  night  lay  coiled  around  it,  holding  his  tail  in 
his  mouth.  So  fierce  is  he  said  to  have  been  that  no  warrior  dare 
approach  him ;  but  he  was  at  length  vanquished  by  St.  Senan,  or  Senanus,* 
who  had  battled  with  demons  in  the  dark  places  of  the  earth,  and,  armed 
with  spear  and  shield,  was  borne  hither  by  an  angel.  It  is  probable, 
however,  that  more  trust  may  be  placed  in  the  statement  that  St.  Senan 
established  a  place  of  worship  here  before  the  arrival  of  St.  Patrick ;  and 
that  like  St.  Kevin  he  sought  a  remote  spot  which  he  vowed  should  ne'er 
receive  the  impress  of  a  female  foot,  and  was  rude  enough  one  night  to 
refuse  admission  to  St.  Cannera,  whom  an  angel  had  taken  to  the  island 
for  the  express  purpose  of  introducing  to  him,  and  who  herself  appealed 
for  permission  to  share  in  his  morning  and  evening  prayers.  But,  upon 
the  authority  of  Moore,  we  are  informed  : 

"  The  Lady's  prayer  Senanus  spurned  ; 
The  winds  blew  fresh,  the  bark  returned ; 
But  legends  hint  that  had  the  maid 
'Till  morning's  light  delayed, 
And  given  the  Saint  one  rosy  smile, 
She  ne'er  had  left  his  lonely  isle." 

It  is  said  that  the  island  contained  at  one  time  eleven  churches  ;  but 
there  are  at  present  discernible  the  remains  of  only  six,  of  which  the 
principal  is  the  cathedral,  68  feet  long  by  27  wide,  having,  like  most  ancient 
churches,  nave  and  chancel  only  and  no  transepts,  but  a  lateral  sacristy. 
The  edifice  is  usually  spoken  of  as  one  of  the  "seven"  churches,  but  the 
true  number  is  only  six,  the  remaining  five  of  which  are  of  little  impor- 
tance ;  the  mystic  number  may,  however,  be  obtained  by  counting  the 
sacristy  as  an  independent  church.    The  Round  Tower  is  now  87  feet  in 

*  According  to  Dr.  Ledwich,  St.  Senanus  was  a  personification  of  the  river  Shannon  ;  but  O'Connor  and 
other  antiquarians  indignantly  deny  such  a  metamorphosis. 
24 


186 


LIMERICK  AND  THE  LOWER  SHANNON. 


height,  but,  the  capstone  having  fallen,  it  was  probably  originally  three  feet 
higher  ;  internally  its  diameter  is  seven  feet  nine  inches,  and  its  walls  are 
four  feet  four  inches  in  thickness.  The  door  is  level  with  the  ground,  an 
unusual  feature  in  these  buildings  ;  but,  like  many  of  the  others,  this  tower 
has  on  the  same  plane  near  its  summit  four  small  windows  looking 
towards  the  cardinal  points,  and  lower  down,  but  at  different  levels,  five 
smaller  windows  fronting  the  same  direction.  The  tower  has  been  rent 
by  lightning,  and  the  wall  bulges  somewhat ;  but  the  structure  has  been 
preserved  from  falling  through  the  exertions  of  a  public-spirited  clergyman, 
who  caused  its  repair — an  important  matter  to  mariners,  to  whom  it  is  a 
useful  landmark.  Among  the  monastic  ruins  exists  an  old  alder  tree,  the 
breaking  off  a  branch  of  which,  it  is  asserted,  results  in  some  dire  calamity 
befalling  the  rash  devastator  ;  the  fate  being,  we  presume,  somewhat  akin 
to  that  which  overtook  the  despoiler  of  the  yew  tree  at  Muckross.  Here 
are  also  to  be  found  some  cells  of  a  monastery,  and  traces  of  a  castle, 
which,  with  the  other  sacred  ruins,  are  supposed  to  have  been  devastated 
by  the  Scandinavians,  who  ruthlessly  ravaged  the  coast  during  the  ninth 
and  tenth  centuries.  It  is  recorded  that  in  the  year  975  Brian  Boroimhe 
recovered  this  island  from  the  Danes  ;  it  also  appears  that  Queen  Elizabeth 
granted  it  to  the  mayor  and  corporation  of  Limerick  and  their  successors, 
who  lately  established  their  right  by  a  suit  at  law. 

Tourists  between  Kilrush  and  Limerick  have  the  option  of  traveling 
all  the  way  by  steamer,  or  of  going  by  water  from  Kilrush  to  Foynes,  a 
X  distance  of  about  20  miles,  and  from  thence  by  railroad  26  miles  in  length 
to  Limerick,  the  entire  distance  being  about  the  same  either  way.  We 
adopted  the  former  route,  as  Leitch  Ritchie  had  told  us  of  it,  that  "  the 
scenery  is  as  agreeable  as  sloping  hills  and  verdant  dales,  with  a  noble 
stream  running  between,  can  make  it."  Leaving  Kilrush  Bay  we  passed 
between  Scattery,  with  Hog  Island  in  front  of  it,  near  the  northern  or 
Clare  shore,  and  the  towers  and  islands  of  Carrigafoyle,  on  whose  rocky 
coasts  were  wrecked  two  ships  of  the  Spanish  Armada,  situated  near  the 
opposite  or  Kerry  bank  of  the  river.  At  this  point  the  Shannon  narrows 
from  an  estuary  of  several  miles  broad,  to  a  stream  of  from  one  to  two 
miles  wide,  at  which  breadth  it  continues  for  some  distance.  On  the 
Clare  side  of  the  river  stands  the  ruined  church  and  graveyard  of 
Killimer,  where  a  stone  cross,  inscribed  "The  Colleen  Bawn,  July,  1819," 


TARBERT  AXD  THE  CASTLE  OF  GLIX. 


1ST 


denotes  the  last  resting-place  of  Eily  O'Connor,  of  the  drama,  and  of 
Gerald  Griffin's  "  Collegians,"  whose  body  was  cast  up  by  the  sea  on  the 
adjacent  point  of  Moyne.  At  eight  or  nine  miles  from  Kilrush  a  light- 
house on  the  southern  side  of  the  river  marks  the  fortress-defended 
entrance  to  the  little  bay  of  Tarbert,  the  small  town  of  which  name  is 
situated  near  its  head  and  a  mile  from  the  landing  stage.  Another  but 
much  larger  inlet  in  the  opposite  shore,  called  Clonderlaw  Bay,  gives  the 
river  at  this  point  a  much  wider  appearance  than  it  possesses  immedi- 
ately above  and  below.  Tarbert  is  merely  noticeable  as  being  the  station 
on  the  river  from  which  travelers  proceed  to  Killarney — 26  miles  by  car 
to  Listowell  and  Tralee,  and  thence  for  16  miles  further  by  railway. 
The  place  lies  on  the  confines  of  Kerry,  to  which  county  Limerick  now 
succeeds  on  the  southern  side  of  the  river. 

Continuing  on  our  course  up  the  river,  soon  after  leaving  Tarbert  we 
had  on  our  right  the  beautiful  mansion  of  the  Knight  of  Glin,  with  its 
charming  lawns  and  shady  forest  trees.  "  Glin  and  the  adjacent  territory," 
says  the  guide  book,  "were  granted  by  Henry  II.  to  John  Fitz-Thomas 
Fitz-Gerald,  from  whom  were  descended  the  Earls  of  Desmond,  princes 
palatine  of  Ireland,  who  claimed  the  power  of  making  tenures  in  capite, 
and  creating  barons.  Bv  such  authoritv  the  Fitz-Gerald  of  Glin  received 
the  title  of  Knight."  The  rebellious  Earl  of  Desmond,  the  former  lord  of 
Lismore,  was  of  this  family.  After  his  death  and  in  the  insurrections 
which  succeeded  the  revolt  of  O'Neill,  Earl  of  Tyrone,  the  Knight  of  Glin 
was  an  energetic  leader;  and  in  July,  1600,  his  castle  was  besieged  by  Sir 
George  Carew,  the  Lord  President,  and  nobly  held  out  for  two  days,  the 
brave  defenders  refusing  to  yield,  but  either  perished  with  the  Knight  in 
the  affray  or  finally  leaped  from  their  lofty  battlements  into  the  sea, 
shouting,  as  thev  fell,  their  defiant  war-crv,  Shan7iid-a-boo — meaning-  Shannid 
victorious,  or  Hurrah  for  Shannid !  Higher  up  the  river  on  the  same 
side  we  noticed  Mount  Trenchard,  the  seat  of  Lord  Monteagle  ;  and  on 
the  opposite  shore  the  steep  rocks  of  Cahircon,  in  which  lurk  harmonious 
echoes  that  were  roused  at  the  call  of  a  sonorous  bugle. 

At  ten  or  a  dozen  miles  above  Tarbert,  and  on  the  same  shore,  are 
the  island  and  town  of  Foynes,  with  the  harbor,  the  security  and  capabil- 
ities of  which  led  to  its  being,  a  few  vears  ago,  recommended  as  a  trans- 
Atlantic   station.     It   is   almost   a   day's   sail   nearer   to   America  than 


188 


LIMERICK  AND  THE  LOWER  SHANNON. 


Oueenstown,  and  thirty  miles  nearer  to  New  York  than  Galway ;  and  it 
is  now  connected  with  the  railroad  system  of  Ireland  by  a  branch  line  to 
Limerick.  The  island  merely  possesses  a  few  residences,  the  little  town 
being  situated  upon  the  mainland.  On  the  heights  overlooking  the  harbor 
is  a  memorial  cross,  erected  to  the  memory  of  the  eldest  son  of  the  first 
Lord  Monteagle.  A  mile  or  two  further  up,  the  Shannon  assumes  the 
appearance  of  a  lake,  from  the  mouth  of  the  Deel,  piercing  its  southern 
bank,  while  the  opposite  shore  expands  into  the  wide  estuary  of  the 
Fergus,  studded  with  islands,  some  of  which  are  covered  with  ecclesiastical 
ruins.  A  lighthouse  here  situated  in  the  centre  of  the  river  warns  vessels 
off  a  dangerous  sunken  rock. 

A  little  more  than  half-way  from  Foynes  to  Limerick,  on  the  right, 
to  employ  the  language  of  Gerald  Griffin, 

"  There  winds  the  Maigue,  as  silver  clear, 
Among  the  elms  so  sweetly  flowing ; 
There  fragrant  in  the  early  year 

Wild  roses  on  the  banks  are  blowing." 

These  lines,  however,  refer  to  the  stream  at  half-a-dozen  miles  or  more 
above  its  mouth,  where  is  also  to  be  found  the  town  and  vicinage  of 
which  the  poet  has  sung 

"  O  sweet  Adare,  O  lovely  vale, 

O  soft  retreat  of  sylvan  splendor  ! 
Nor  summer  sun  nor  morning  gale 

E'er  hailed  a  scene  more  softly  tender. 
How  shall  I  tell  the  thousand  charms, 

Within  thy  verdant  bosom  dwelling, 
When  lulled  in  Nature's  fostering  arms, 

Soft  peace  abides  and  joy  excelling !" 

There  is  not,  perhaps,  in  the  whole  province  of  Munster,  a  more 
beautifully  situated  place  than  Adare — the  ruins  of  its  magnificent  castle, 
where  the  proud  Desmonds  held  sway — the  meadows,  sloping  gently  to 
the  margin  of  the  stream — the  ivy-mantled  walls  of  the  stately  abbeys  that 
once  flourished  there — the  lonely  shades,  the  venerable  trees,  and  the 
quiet  walks, 

"  Where  heavenly  meditation,  musing,  dwelt — " 

awaken  in  the  contemplative  mind  emotions  of  the  most  exquisite  nature. 
Though   we    took   the   place   in   an  excursion  from  Limerick,  we  shall 


ARCH ALO  LOGICAL  REMAINS  A  T  AD  ARE. 


189 


describe  it  here  in  order  to  introduce  it  in  its  proper  geographical 
position  among  the  picturesque  sights  that  lie  within  easy  distance  of  the 
shores  of  the  Shannon. 

The  early  history  of  Adare  is  involved  in  considerable  obscurity.  The 
ancient  town,  which  derived  its  name  from  Aith-dhar,  or  "  The  Ford  of 
the  Oaks,"  lay  upon  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Maigue,  and  about  half  a  mile 
from  the  modern  town,  situated  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river, 
which  is  spanned  by  a  bridge.  Its  most  remarkable  features  are  the 
Archaeological  Remains  of  three  religious  houses,  and  one  of  the  many 
fortresses  with  which  the  Fitzgeralds  dotted  Munster.  The  Franciscan 
Abbey,  an  exceedingly  picturesque  ruin,  was  built  in  1464,  and  forms  a 
beautiful  and  striking  object  in  the  landscape.  It  possesses  a  nave, 
choir,  and  south-transept,  with  a  very  graceful  tower  rising  from  the 
intersection,  and  has  chapels  and  oratories  attached  to  the  transept. 
The  choir  presents  some  elaborate  workmanship  in  its  interior,  and 
has  an  elegant  four-lioht  window  at  its  eastern  end.  The  Augaistinian 
Abbey,  erected  in  the  early  part  of  the  fourteenth  century,  and  containing 
nave,  choir,  tower,  and  cloisters,  was  restored  and  appropriated  to  the 
services  of  the  Protestant  Church  by  the  late  Earl  of  Dunraven,  who  built 
a  mausoleum  close  by.  The  zealous  antiquarian  tastes  of  that  nobleman 
also  led  to  the  restoration,  for  the  uses  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church, 
of  the  Monastery  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  or  Black  Abbey,  situated  in  the 
town.  This  latter  consists  of  nave  and  choir  surmounted  by  an 
embattled  tower,  and  is  of  more  ancient  date  than  the  other  abbeys, 
having  been  founded  in  1279,  by  John,  first  Earl  of  Kildare,  shortly  after 
the  town  came  into  the  possession  of  the  Fitzgeralds. 

The  castle,  built  to  command  the  bridge  over  the  river,  is  now 
reduced  to  a  pile  of  ruins ;  but  the  portions  of  the  structure  which 
remain,  consisting  of  a  keep  and  an  inner  ward  surrounded  by  a  moat 
and  enclosed  by  a  spacious  quadrangle,  show  that  it  must  have  been  a 
place  of  great  strength,  and  that  its  position  was  admirably  chosen  to 
protect  the  pass  it  was  intended  to  defend.  It  was  erected  by  the 
second  Earl  of  Kildare,  in  1326,  on  the  site  of  a  fortress  of  the 
dispossessed  family  of  O'Donovan.  Like  many  other  Irish  strongholds 
it  has  been  the  scene  of  repeated  conflicts,  and  the  subject  of  more 
than  one  confiscation.     It  was  one  of  the  castles  seized  by  the  crown 


190 


LIMERICK  AND  THE  LOWER  SHANNON. 


on  the  occasion  of  the  Earl  of  Desmond's  rebellion.  In  1600  the 
fortress  was  besieged  for  many  days,  during  which  its  defenders  were 
compelled  to  excavate  a  subterranean  passage  to  the  river,  in  order  to 
procure  water.  It  was  again  the  scene  of  strife  in  1641,  when  it 
succumbed  to  the  army  under  the  Earl  of  Castlehaven ;  and  in  1657  it 
was  dismantled  by  order  of  Cromwell. 

Adare  gives  the  titles  of  baron  and  viscount  to  the  ancient  Irish 
family  of  Quin,  Earls  of  Dunraven  and  Mountearl.  Adare  House,  the 
family  seat,  which  has  of  late  years  been  rebuilt,  is  situated  on  the  western 
bank  of  the  river,  in  a  very  extensive  and  highly-ornamented  demesne, 
and  commands  a  fine  view  of  the  ancient  castle  and  venerable  abbeys 
in  its  neighborhood.  It  is  a  castellated  Tudor  edifice,  and  its  archi- 
tecture entitles  it  to  be  considered  as  one  of  the  finest  mansions  in 
the  country.  By  a  succession  of  artificial  dams  the  Maigue  has  here  been 
successfully  transformed  from  a  still,  muddy  stream,  to  a  clear,  lively  river. 

A  sail  along  the  Shannon  presents  to  the  eye  so  many  castles  and 
abbeys,  each  possessing  either  some  authentic  history  or  interesting 
legend,  that  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  notice  more  than  a  few  of  them. 
Of  these  we  must  not  omit  the  Castle  of  Bunratty,  which  stands  on 
the  northern  shore,  and  nearly  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Maigue.  The 
De  Clares,  to  whom  were  assigned  this  portion  of  Thomond,  suffered 
many  severe  defeats  in  their  attempt  to  possess  themselves  of  the 
territory,  but  eventually  obtained  sufficient  foothold  to  enable  them, 
towards  the  close  of  the  thirteenth  century,  to  erect  this  fortress.  "  The 
wars  of  Thomond  then  commenced  with  great  intensity,  and  lasted  for 
many  years;  at  length,  in  13 18,  Robert  De  Clare,  with  his  son,  was 
killed  at  the  battle  of  Disert,  and  the  Dalcassian  clan  regained  and 
held  their  independence,  institutions,  and  laws  down  to  the  year  1542, 
when  Murrough  O'Brien,  foreseeing  that  he  could  not  longer  maintain 
his  title  of  King  of  Munster,  without  exciting  the  suspicion  of  the 
English  Court  and  creating  strife,  wisely  consented  to  accept  a  patent 
of  his  territory  from  Henry  VIII.,  with  the  title  of  Earl  of  Thomond. 
In  those  troublous  times  the  castle  was  repeatedly  attacked.  In  later 
days  (1646)  it  was  occupied  by  Parliament  troops,  and  besieged  by  the 
Royalists  under  the  Earl  of  Glamorgan  ;  but  the  attacking  forces  were 
repulsed  with  considerable  loss,  and  had  to  retreat  to  Limerick.  Subse- 


CA RRIG- O- G  UNNELL  CASTLE. 


191 


quently  it  was  invested  by  Lord  Muskerry  and  the  Papal  Nuncio,  to 
whom  it  surrendered."  The  old  castle,  which  is  now  used  as  a 
constabulary  station,  is  in  excellent  preservation,  and  is  remarkable  for 
the  thickness  of  its  walls  and  its  many  outworks.  It  is  a  quadrangular 
structure,  with  lofty  towers  at  the  angles  connected  by  arches  ;  and  its 
apartments,  from  the  spacious  banqueting-hall  to  the  confined  dungeon, 
denote  the  characteristic  propensities  of  its  former  possessors. 

The  stream  here  commences  to  narrow  considerably,  and  -  the  scenery 
along  its  shores  greatly  improves  in  appearance.  Handsome  villas 
embowered  in  trees  and  cultivated  farms  enliven  the  landscape,  while 
the  view  to  the  east  embraces  glimpses  of  the  distant  mountains  of 
Tipperary,  and  that  to  the  north  is  bounded  by  those  of  Clare.  On 
the  southern  bank,  half-a-dozen  miles  from  Limerick,  the  crumbling  ruins 
of  Carrig-o-Gunnell  Castle  crown  the  summit  of  a  steep  basaltic 
rock,  that  rises  abruptly  some  hundreds  of  feet  above  an  extensive  plain 
and  presenting  a  noble  and  striking  object  to  the  surrounding  country. 
Carrig-o-Gunnell,  "  The  Rock  of  the  Candle,"  was  inevitably  an  impreg- 
nable position  before  the  introduction  of  gunpowder  and  the  weapons 
it  has  given  birth  to ;  and  this,  coupled  with  its  commanding  situation, 
undoubtedly  led  to  its  selection  as  a  stronghold  by  the  descendants  of 
Brian  Boroimhe.  Archdall,  in  his  JMonasticon  Hiberniaim,  informs  us 
that  there  was  here  a  house  for  Knights  Templars,  which,  in  the  year 
1530,  was  the  seat  of  Donough  O'Brien,  Lord  of  Poble  O'Brien  ;  but 
the  place  appears  to  have  troubled  historians  but  little  till  the  Revolution 
of  1688,  towards  the  close  of  which,  in  1691,  it  was  held  for  King  James, 
when  the  Irish  forces  retreated  to  Limerick  after  the  disastrous  battle 
of  Aughrim.  The  fortress,  however,  surrendered  to  General  Scravemore, 
and  then,  owing  to  its  strategetic  position,  and  the  inexpediency  of 
leaving  troops  to  garrison  it,  an  order  was  issued  for  its  demolition, 
and  the  castle  was  dismantled  and  blown  up.  The  immense  masses  of 
masonry  strewing  the  courtyard  and  lying  in  picturesque  confusion  at  the 
top  of  the  crag  bear  evidence  to  this  day  how  effectually  the  mandate 
was  executed ;  but  it  is  fortunate  that  the  principal  tower  escaped 
destruction,  for  a  flight  of  stone  steps  which  ascends  to  its  top  affords 
the  tourist  an  opportunity  of  obtaining  from  its  lofty  summit  an  exquisite 
view  of  the  surrounding  country. 


192 


LIMERICK  AND  THE  LOWER  SHANNON. 


The  prospect  that  is  here  presented  is  thus  admirably  portrayed : 
"  The  magnificent  Shannon,  enlivened  with  shipping  and  islands,  as  far 
as  the  bridge  at  Limerick ;  the  chimneys,  and  roofs,  and  steeples  of  the 
city ;  the  broad  meadow-land  on  either  bank,  rich  with  its  wealth  of 
sheep  and  cattle  ;  the  verdant  hills  of  Clare  ;  the  soft  blue  tints  of  the 
far-off  Keeper  Mountains  ;  and  below  us  the  green  woodlands  and  bright 
Manor  of  Tervoe — all  these  constitute  a  panorama  of  rare  beauty.  If 
we  turn  to  the  west  we  trace  the  Maigue  in  its  sinuous  course  from  the 
Shannon  to  Adare.  Castle  after  castle  lie  before  us :  the  lofty  towers 
of  Dromore,  perched  on  a  rock  which  rivals  Carrig  in  configuration  ; 
the  tall  ruin  of  Court  guarding  Ferry  Bridge ;  the  broken  keep  of  Pallas, 
the  fortalice  of  Bolane,  Shannid  Castle,  and  many  others,  show  us  that 
we  overlook  the  old  fighting  ground  of  the  Desmonds.  Nestling  amongst 
those  'gray  old  feudal  towers  we  detect  the  white  walls  of  cheerful 
farmhouses,  and  the  smiling  lakelets  of  Dromore  reflecting  the  tranquil 
azure  of  heaven.  Nearer  are  the  golden  cornfields  and  blossomed 
orchards  of  Court,  rife  with  the  recompense  of  well-directed  industry. 
From  the  valley  beneath,  borne  on  the  fresh  breeze,  come  the  voices  of 
merry  children,  the  songs  of  farm  laborers,  and  the  tinkling  of  sheep 
bells,  uniting  with  the  harmony  of  countless  feathered  songsters."  And 
the  grandeur  of  the  scenery  is  augmented  at  eventide,  when  the  sun, 
e'er  it  sinks  into  the  waters  of  the  Atlantic,  sheds  his  rays  horizontally 
upon  the  glittering  surface  of  the  stream,  for  then— 

"  Light  barks  with  dusky  sails  scarce  seen  to  glide, 
Bend  their  brown  shadows  o'er  the  burnished  tide  ; 
And  hark  !  at  intervals  the  sound  of  oars 
Comes,  faint  with  distance,  to  the  listening  shores, 
Blent  with  the  plaintive  cadence  of  the  song 
Of  boatmen  chanting  as  they  drift  along ; 
But  see  !  the  radiant  orb  now  sinks  apace, 
Gradual  and  slow  he  stoops* his  glorious  face; 
And  now  but  half  his  swelling  disk  appears, 
And  now,  how  quickly  gone !  he  scarcely  rears 
One  burning  point  above  the  mountain's  head,— 
And  now  the  last  expiring  beam  has  fled." 

The  approach  to  Limerick  from  the  lower  Shannon  has  all  the 
aspect  of  a  sea-port  town,  and  presents  on  the  right,  or  Limerick  side 
of  the  stream,  a  succession  of  docks,  quays,  storehouses,  factories,  and 


LOCAL   DIVISIONS  OF  LIMERICK. 


193 


other  accessories  of  commercial  life,  while  on  the  opposite  or  Clare  side 
the  river  partakes  more  of  the  semi-country  character  of  a  residential 
suburb.  Wellesley  Bridge,  the  first  and  finest  on  the  Shannon,  and 
probably  one  of  the  handsomest  in  Ireland,  is  a  conspicuous  object 
in  the  picture.  It  was  erected  about  1827  from  the  designs  of  the 
eminent  engineer  Alexander  Nimmo,  was  eleven  years  in  course  of 
construction,  and  consists  of  five  elliptic  arches  of  70  feet  span  each 
over  the  river,  as  well  as  a  swivel  bridge  of  80  feet  on  the  city  side 
to  permit  the  passage  of  vessels,  and  two  dry  or  quay  arches.  It  has  a 
level  roadway  and  an  elegant  stone  balustrade,  and  in  appearance 
resembles  the  beautiful  Pont  Neuilly  over  the  Seine,  near  Paris.  A 
statue  has  been  erected  on  the  bridge  "  to  commemorate  the  bravery 
of  Viscount  Fitz-Gibbon,  8th  Royal  Irish  Hussars,  and  of  his  gallant 
companions  in  arms,  natives  of  the  county  and  city  of  Limerick,  who 
gloriously  fell  in  the  Crimean  War,  1855."  It  consists  of  a  granite 
pedestal  eleven  feet  high,  surmounted  by  a  life-size  figure  in  bronze, 
representing  the  gallant  officer  in  the  act  of  drawing  his  sword,  and 
is  the  production  of  Patrick  MacDowell,  R.  A.,  the  celebrated  Irish 
sculptor. 

The  city  of  Limerick  is  situated  in  an  extensive  plain  and  upon  the 
southeast  bank  of  the  main  bodv  of  the  Shannon,  which  river  divides 
about  half  a  mile  above  the  city  into  two  streams,  the  eastern  or 
narrowest,  though  most  rapid,  being  called  the  Abbey  River,  and  the  two 
enclosing  King's  Island.  On  the  southern  portion  of  this  island  where 
the  streams  re-unite  is  situated  what  is  now  known  as  English  Town, 
but  was  in  early  times  the  entire  city ;  and  in  contra-distinction  to  this 
is  Irish  Town,  which  lies  still  further  to  the  south  and  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Abbey  River.  Up  to  the  time  of  Edward  II.  English  Town 
alone  was  defended  by  walls,  but  these  were  extended  in  1495,  so  as  to 
include  Irish  Town,  which  had  been  allotted  to  the  native  inhabitants 
as  early  as  the  reign  of  King  John.  A  third  division,  covering  the 
triangular  space  between  Irish  Town  and  the  river  and  called  Newton 
Pery,  has  been  added  during  the  past  hundred  years,  the  work  being 
commenced  in  1769  by  the  Right  Hon.  Edmond  Sexton  Pery,  whose 
descendants  became  Earls  of  Limerick.  It  is  thus  not  inaptly  remarked 
that  it  has  taken  three  towns  to  make  one  Limerick.     English  Town, 

-  85 


194 


LIMERICK  AND  THE  LOWER  SHANNON. 


from  its  houses  being  built  in  the  Flemish  fashion,  is  said  to  resemble 
Rouen,  in  Normandy ;  but  it  is  now  deserted  by  wealthy  inhabitants, 
who  have  .migrated  to  Newton  Pery,  which  is  equal  to  any  city  in 
Ireland  for  the  breadth  and  general  appearance  of  the  streets.  Of  these 
the  principal  is  George  Street,  a  handsome  thoroughfare  of  a  mile  in 
length,  terminating  at  the  south  in  Richmond  Place,  which  consists  of 
two  handsome  crescents  and  is  adorned  with  a  bronze  statue  eight  feet 
hi^h  of  Daniel  O'Connell,  placed  thirteen  feet  above  the  ground  on  a 
granite  pedestal.  The  late  N.  P.  Willis,  in  writing  of  this  'Street  in 
1839,  said,  "An  American  traveler  could  scarcely  enter  Limerick  without 
exclaiming  in  the  principal  street,  'How  very  like  New  York!'  The 
tall  and  handsome  brick  houses,  the  iron  railings,  the  broad  and  clean 
sidewalks,  and  something  in  the  dress  and  style  of  the  people  would 
remind  him  very  forcibly  of  his  native  country."  It  was  nineteen  years 
after  that  date,  and  at  the  time  of  the  laying  of  the  first  cable,  that 
the  present  writer  had  a  favorable  opportunity  of  comparing  the  two  cities, 
and  then  he  found  that  any  close  resemblance  there  might  have  been 
between  their  leading  thoroughfares  had  all  but  faded  away ;  and  now 
after  the  era  of  extravagance,  which  unhappily  has  befallen  the  Empire 
City,  and  caused  the  erection  of  a  brick  residence  to  be  a  rarity,  any 
comparison  of  the  character  made  by  Mr.  Willis  is  entirely  out  of  the 
question.  In  the  vicinity  of  Richmond  Place  is  Pery  Square,  in  which 
is  erected  a  Doric  column,  surmounted  by  a  statue  of  the  popular 
Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer  Spring  Rice,  afterwards  Lord  Monteagle. 

Several  bridges  were  thrown  over  this  part  of  the  Shannon  as 
early  as  the  twelfth  century,  two  of  them  by  King  Turlough  O'Connor. 
It  is  supposed,  however,  that  these  were  of  wood,  and  that  the  first 
stone  bridges  were  erected  by  the  Anglo-Normans.  It  is  now  spanned 
at  this  point  by  three  bridges,  the  first  of  which,  Wcllcsley  Bridge 
already  mentioned,  connects  the  new  town  with  the  road  from  Limerick 
to  Ennis  ;  Thomond  Bridge,  higher  up  the  river  and  lately  rebuilt, 
connects  English  Town  with  the  popular  suburb  on  the  Clare  side, 
called  Thomond  Gate,  and  was  formerly  the  only  entrance  to  the  ancient 
city  and  protected  by  King  John's  Castle  ;  Athlunkard  Bridge,  still 
higher  up  the  stream,  and  some  little  distance  outside  the  city,  like  the 
first-named,  consists  of  five  large  elliptic  arches,  and  forms  a    new  line 


EARL  Y  HIS  TOR  Y  OF  LIMERICK. 


1 9.-i 


of  communication  between  Limerick  and  Killaloe.  The  Abbey  River  is 
also  crossed  by  three  bridges,  the  lower  being  Mathezu  Bridge,  so  named 
after  the  temperance  advocate,  which  connects  Newton  Pery  with  English 
Town  ;  and  the  upper  or  Park  Bridge,  an  old  lofty  structure  of  five 
irregular  arches.  Nearly  midway  between  these  and  at  the  spot  where 
the  Lock  Mills  Canal,  cutting  off  a  long  reach  of  the  Shannon,  falls 
in,  is  Baal's  Bridge,  connecting  English  and  Irish  Towns.  It  is  a 
beautiful  structure  of  a  single  arch,  built  in  1831,  and  erected  on  the 
site  of  one  of  great  antiquity,  represented  in  our  engraving,  denominated 
the  Tide  Bridge  in  maps  of  the  time  of  Elizabeth,  which,  along  with  some 
houses  that  overhung  the  river,  was  washed  away  by  an  unusually  high  tide 
in  1775.  The  present  name  is  assumed  by  some  to  have  been  derived 
from  "Bald"  Bridge,  being  so  designated  in  Latin  documents  from  having 
no  battlements ;  while  others  attribute  it  to  Boyle,  Earl  of  Shannon, 
from  forming  part  of  the  grant  made  to  him. 

Limerick,  ancient  Lumneach*  seems  to  have  been  an  important  place 
as  early  as  the  fifth  century,  when  it  was  visited  by  St.  Patrick ;  but 
little  is  known  of  its  history  till  the  ninth  century,  when  it  was  captured 
by  the  Danes,  who  fortified  it  and  held  it  until  1013,  when  Brian 
Boroimhe  rendered  the  invaders  tributary  to  the  King  of  Munster  ;  and 
it  afterwards  became  the  seat  of  the  Kings  of  Thomond,  or  North 
Munster,  who  were  hence  called  Kings  of  Limerick.  Upon  the  arrival 
of  Strongbow,  Donald  O'Brien  swore  fealty  to  Henry  II.,  but  subsequently 
revolted,  when  Raymond  le  Gros  laid  siege  to  and  captured  the  city. 
For  some  years  afterwards  it  was  alternately  in  the  possession  of  the 
English  and  Irish,  and  eventually  became  an  appanage  to  the  English 
crown.  Richard  I.,  in  the  ninth  year  of  his  reign,  granted  it  a  charter 
to  elect  a  mayor — a  privilege  not  then  awarded  to  London,  and  only 
granted  to  Dublin  a  century  later.  King  John,  on  his  visit,  was  so 
struck  with  the  importance  of  Limerick,  that  he  caused  Thomond  Bridge 
and  the  castle  which  guarded  its  passage  to  be  erected,  and  established 
a  mint.  Edward  Bruce,  on  his  invasion  of  Ireland  in  13 16,  made  it 
the  rendezvous  for  his  troops,  and  burnt  its  suburbs.    The  city  remained 


*  The  name  of  Lumneach,  meaning  a  spot  made  bare  by  feeding  horses,  was  given  to  the  island  on  which 
the  ancient  city  stood,  in  consequence  of  a  band  of  freebooters  occupying  it  and  bringing  to  it  their  plunder 
and  horses,  attracted  thither  by  the  security  afforded  by  its  insular  position. 


190 


LIMERICK  AND  THE  LOWER  SHANNON. 


strictly  loyal  during  the  troublous  reigns  of  Henry  VIII.  and  Elizabeth, 
though  the  Papal  bull  against  the  latter  was  placed  upon  its  gates. 
In  the  war  which  succeeded  the  Rebellion  of  1641  Limerick  was  seized 
by  the  Roman  Catholics  under  Lords  Muskerry  and  Skerrin,  and  in  1643 
it  became  the  headquarters  of  the  party.  It  was  besieged  by  Ireton 
with  the  Parliamentary  army  in  1651,  but  capitulated  after  a  severe  siege 
of  six  months ;  but  "  worse  than  the  horrors  of  bombardment  were  the 
devastations  of  the  plague,  which  broke  out  amongst  the  besieged  people, 
and  of  which,  on  the  surrender,  Ireton  catching  the  infection,  died,"  not, 
however,  until  after  he  had  wreaked  his  vengeance  upon  several  of  the 
Irish  leaders  who  had  been  most  active  in  delaying  him  before  the  walls 
of  the  city. 

But  the  most  memorable  episode  in  the  history  of  Limerick  is  the 
stubborn  resistance  it  made  to  the  assaults  of  William  of  Orange,  and 
of  his  commander,  Ginkell,  victoriously  repelling  the  attack  of  the  first, 
and  only  capitulating  to  the  last  after  a  bombardment  of  more  than 
three  weeks.  The  battle  of  the  Boyne  had  been  fought,  and  James  II. 
had  fled  from  Ireland,  when  King  William  advanced  upon  Limerick, 
then  garrisoned  by  the  flower  of  King  James'  army  under  the  command 
of  the  French  general  Boileau  and  of  Sarsfield,  whom  James  had  created 
Earl  of  Lucan.  Early  in  August  William  summoned  the  city  to  surrender, 
but  was  compelled  to  defer  his  attack,  owing  to  Sarsfield  having,  by  a 
brilliant  manoeuvre,  captured  and  destroyed  his  siege  guns  while  en  route 
from  Waterford.  Another  battery  being  procured,  fire  was  opened,  and 
a  practical  breach  being  effected  on  the  26th,  an  assault  was  made  next 
day,  when  some  of  the  troops  forced  their  way  into  the  town,  where 
they  were  assailed  with  such  intense  fury  by  a  mixed  crowd  of  soldiers, 
citizens,  and  women,  that  they  were  almost  entirely  exterminated,  the 
loss  in  killed  and  wounded  being  over  2,000.  The  result  was  the 
raising  of  the  siege  on  the  30th,  and  the  departure  of  William  for 
England.  After  the  battle  of  Aughrim  in  the  following  year,  the  Irish 
forces  under  Sarsfield  withdrew  to  Limerick,  their  only  evident  tenable 
position.  The  city  was  invested,  August  25th,  169 1 .  by  General 
Ginkell,  who  on  the  30th  opened  his  batteries,  which  were  replied  to 
with  spirit.  The  besieged  being  straitened  for  provisions,  and  expected 
supplies  from  France  not  arriving,  were  eventually  compelled  to  sue  for 


THE  VIOLATED  TREATY. 


a  cessation  of  hostilities  ;  and  a  truce  was  agreed  upon,  September  23d, 
and  the  war  was  terminated  on  October  3d,  by  the  signing  of  the 
celebrated  compact,  which  has  since  given  to  Limerick  the  unenviable 
title,  "The  City  of  the  Violated  Treaty."*  Two  days  after  the  capitu- 
lation, a  French  fleet,  consisting  of  eighteen  ships  of  the  line,  having 
on  board  a  large  supply  of  men,  money,  and  arms,  cast  anchor  in  the 
Shannon  ;  but  all  that  these  could  now  do  was  to  convey  the  greater 
part  of  the  Irish  army  to  the  continent,  "where  they  formed  the  nucleus 
of  that  Irish  Brigade,  so  conspicuous  for  valor  in  the  subsequent 
continental  wars,  and  who  fought  against  the  English  at  Blenheim, 
Ramillies,  and  Fontenoy. " 

"With  one  exception,"  remarks  a  talented  Irish  writer  on  the  siege 
of  Limerick,  "  no  city  of  Ireland  has  contributed  so  largely  to  maintain 
the  honor  and  glory  of  the  country.  The  brave  defenders  of  Limerick 
and  Londonderry  have  received — the  former  from  the  Protestant,  and 
the  latter  from  the  Catholic  historian — the  praise  that  party  spirit  failed 
to  weaken  ;  the  heroic  gallantry,  the  indomitable  perseverance,  and  the 
patient  and  resolute  endurance  under  suffering  of  both,  having  deprived 
political  partisans  of  their  asperity — compelling  them,  for  once  at  least, 
to  render  justice  to  their  opponents  ;  all  having  readily  subscribed  to 
the  opinion  that  '  Derry  and  Limerick  will  ever  grace  the  historic  page, 
as  rival  companions  and  monuments  of  Irish  bravery,  generosity,  and 
integrity.'  " 

The  Castle  of  Limerick  was,  as  we  have  remarked,  erected  by 
King  John  in  1205,  and  has  not  only  played  an  important  part  in 
the  conflicts  just  recorded,  but  has  been  perhaps  the  most  coveted 
object  amongst  contending  parties  in  Ireland.  It  is  still  a  formidable 
looking  fortress,  notwithstanding  the  rough  usage  to  which    it    has  had 

*  The  treaty  consisted  of  two  parts,  civil  and  military.  The  military  articles  stipulated  for  the  surrender  of 
Limerick  and  other  fortresses  in  the  hands  of  the  Irish,  and  provided  that  the  garrisons  should  march  out  with  the 
honors  of  war,  and,  if  required,  conveyed  to  France  or  elsewhere  at  the  cost  of  the  British  government.  The 
civil  articles  were  thirteen  in  number,  of  which  the  first  and  ninth  are  those  that  have  been  violated.  The 
ninth  provided  that  Roman  Catholics  should  be  required  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance,  and  no  other ;  and  the 
first  granted  them  religious  liberty  consistent  with  the  laws  of  Ireland,  "or  as  they  did  enjoy  in  the  reign  of 
King  Charles  the  Second."  And  th^y  were  promised  that  an  Irish  Parliament  should  be  summoned,  and  desired 
to  grant  such  further  security  as  might  be  necessary  to  preserve  them  from  any  disturbances  on  account  of  their 
religion.  That  not  only  the  letter  and  spirit  of  this  solemn  compact  were  broken,  but  laws  were  subsequently 
enacted  that  were  more  oppressive  than  any  that  had  previously  existed,  every  unprejudiced  mind  must  now  admit. 


198 


LIMERICK  AND  THE  LOWER  SHANNON. 


to  submit,  and  is  one  of  the  best  specimens  of  Norman  military 
architecture  in  Ireland.  The  battlements  were  demolished  about  the 
close  ol  the  last  century,  but  there  remain  seven  towers  (including  two 
flanking  the  entrance),  connected  by  high  walls  of  prodigious  thickness, 
to  denote  its  former  strength  ;  while  the  marks  of  shot  and  shell  upon 
its  walls  exhibit  to  this  day  how  great  must  have  been  its  powers  of 
resistance.  The  interior  of  the  quadrangle  is  now  used  as  infantry 
barracks,  the  modern  buildings  of  which  are  little  in  harmony  with  the 
ancient  structure ;  the  exterior  however,  forms  a  noble  and  picturesque 
object  from  the  opposite  shore.  The  old  Thomond  bridge*  close  to 
the  castle,  and  also  built  by  King  John,  was  taken  down  in  1838,  by 
order  of  the  Shannon  Commissioners.  The  celebrated  treaty,  called 
the  Pacification  of  Limerick,  is  said  to  have  been  signed  on  a  large 
stone  on  the  Clare  side  of  the  river,  near  to  this  bridge.  This 
"Treaty  Stone,"  was  in  1865  placed  on  a  plain  limestone  pedestal 
about  ten  feet  high,  appropriately  inscribed,  and  now  stands  at  the 
north  end  of  the  new  bridge.  It  is  a  rough,  oblong,  block  of  limestone, 
and  was  used  for  many  years  by  the  country  people  as  a  horse-block, 
when  leaving  the  city. 

The  Cathedral  of  St.  Mary  is  situated  in  English  Town  not  far 
from  the  castle ;  and  though  an  older  edifice  than  the  latter,  having 
been  founded  in  1194  by  King  Donald  O'Brienf  on  the  site  of  his 
palace,  it  has  subsequently  been  so  enlarged  and  beautified  at  various 
times,  that  it  may   fairly   lay    claim    to  being   a   comparatively  modern 

*  The  most  remarkable  incident  that  took  place  during  the  siege  of  1691,  was  the  slaughter  that  occurred 
on  this  bridge,  in  consequence  of  the  treachery  or  pusillanimity  of  a  French  major.  "On  the  22nd  of  September 
the  works  which  defended  the  Clare  side  were  ordered  to  be  attacked ;  the  Irish  fought  bravely,  but  were 
ultimately  beaten,  and  made  a  rush  to  the  bridge.  The  Frenchman,  fearing,  it  is  said,  that  the  English 
grenadiers  would  enter  with  the  retreating  soldiery,  ordered  the  drawbridge  to  be  raised,  and  left  the  fugitives 
to  the  mercy  of  their  pursuers.  The  consequence  was,  that  nearly  all  the  Irish  were  destroyed — 600  having 
been  put  to  the  sword,  and  150  drowned,  in  the  vain  attempt  to  reach  the  walls  by  swimming." 

f  The  reputed  founder  of  the  diocese  of  Limerick  is  St.  Munchin,  of  whom  but  little  is  known.  Sii 
James  Ware  on  the  contrary  contends  that  it  was  founded  by  Donald  O'Brien  about  the  time  of  the  English 
invasion,  toward  the  close  of  the  twelfth  century  ;  which  can  hardly  be  the  case,  for  Gille,  or  Gillebert,  the 
first  bishop  of  whom  anything  is  known,  occupied  the  see  in  1106,  three  quarters  of  a  century  before  that  time. 
Edward  Synge,  Protestant  Bishop  of  Limerick  in  1600,  also  held  the  sees  of  Ardfert  and  Aghadoe,  which  were 
permanently  united  to  Limerick  in  1663.  In  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  Limerick  is  a  separate  diocese, 
while  the  ancient  sees  of  Ardfert  and  Aghadoe  constitute  the  bishopric  of  Kerry. 


THE  CA  THEDRAL  AXD  ITS  BELLS. 


199 


structure — in  fact  it  has  quite  recently  been  very  judiciously  restored. 
Still  it  is  a  venerable  Gothic  building,  retaining  much  of  the  architectural 
features  of  the  12th  and  13th  centuries.  The  church  has  three  aisles, 
surrounded  by  graduated  battlements,  and  has  at  the  western  end  a 
square  tower,  rising  to  the  height  of  120  teet,  with  turrets  at  each 
angle.  A  pillared  arch  beneath  the  tower,  forming  the  porch  or  entrance, 
is  such  an  anomaly  in  ancient  church  architecture,  that  it  has  led  to 
the  belief  that  the  tower  formed  part  of  the  original  palace.  The 
length  of  the  cathedral  from  the  east  to  the  west  door  is  156  feet, 
and  the  breadth  from  north  to  south  is  114  feet.  In  the  interior,  17 
Gothic  arches  springing  from  massive  square  pillars  support  the  roof  and 
separate  the  choir  from  the  lateral  aisles,  in  which,  as  well  as  in  the 
nave,  are  several  recesses  formerly  used  as  chapels.  A  fine  proportioned 
eastern  window  and  some  higrhlv  wrought  windows  on  the  northern 
side  are  filled  with  stained  glass.  Previous  to  the  Commonwealth,  the 
church  was  profusely  decorated  with  statues ;  but  these,  with  many  of 
the  mural  monuments,  fell  a  prey  to  the  Puritan  soldiers.  However, 
many  modern  monuments  of  an  elaborate  character  now  decorate  the 
interior  of  the  sacred  pile. 

The  cathedral  tower  contains  a  chime  of  eiorht  bells,  noted  for  their 
sweetness  of  tone,  said  to  have  been  originally  brought  from  Italy 
and  recently  repaired  at  the  expense  of  the  Earl  of  Limerick.  There 
is  a  pretty  story  to  the  effect  that  they  were  manufactured  by  a 
young  Italian,  who  prided  himself  upon  his  work  ;  and  with  the 
proceeds  of  their  sale  purchased  a  villa  near  the  convent  in  which 
thev  were  hunor  in  order  that  he  migrht  listen  to  their  sonorous  tones. 
As  a  result  of  one  of  those  revolutionary  storms  which  devastate  the 
countries  over  which  they  burst,  the  Italian  lost  his  property,  the 
convent  was  destroved,  and  the  bells  were  carried  off  to  a  foreign 
land.  Weighed  down  with  misfortune,  his  hair  turned  gray,  and  years 
having  rolled  on,  the  broken-hearted  artisan  became  a  wanderer,  and  it 
is  said  that  a  desire  to  once  more  listen  to  the  sounds  of  the  offspring 
of  his  early  toils,  brought  him  to  Limerick  in  1559.  The  ship  which 
conveved  him  having  anchored  in  the  Shannon,  he  eneaeed  a  small 
boat  to  transport  him  to  the  city.  St.  Man's  tower  loomed  up  in 
the  distance,  as  he  sat  in  the  stern  of  the  boat,  and  he  looked  fondly 


200 


LIMERICK  AND  THE  LOWER  SHANNON. 


toward  it.  "  It  was  an  evening  so  calm  and  beautiful  as  to  remind 
him  of  his  own  native  haven  in  the  sweetest  time  of  the  year — the 
depth  of  the  spring.  The  broad  stream  appeared  like  one  smooth 
mirror,  and  the  little  vessel  glided  through  it  with  almost  a  noiseless 
expedition.  On  a  sudden,  amid  the  general  stillness,  the  bells  tolled 
from  the  cathedral ;  the  rowers  rested  on  their  oars,  and  the  vessel 
went  forward  with  the  impulse  it  had  received.  The  old  Italian  looked 
towards  the  city,  crossed  his  arms  on  his  breast,  and  lay  back  in  his 
seat  ;  home,  happiness,  early  recollections,  friends,  family — all  were  in 
the  sound,  and  went  with  it  to  his  heart.  When  the  rowers  looked 
round  they  beheld  him  with  his  face  turned  towards  the  cathedral, 
but  his  eyes  were  closed,  and  when  they  landed  they  found  him  cold  ! " 
He  had  expired  from  excess  of  joy.  More  authentic  chronicles,  however, 
state  that  the  bells  were  cast  by  one  William  Purdue  who  died  in 
1673. 

The  view  of  The  Shannon  from  the  Tower  of  Limerick  Cathedral 
is  very  extensive,  and  embraces  not  only  a  good  view  of  the  city, 
its  busy  harbor  and  handsome  bridges,  but  of  the  rich  and  level  plain 
that  surrounds  it,  and  the  Clare  mountains ;  while  the  windings  of  the 
river  above  the  city  and  its  gradual  expansion  into  an  estuary  below 
give  a  grandeur  to  the  picture  which  would  otherwise  be  wanting. 

Near  the  castle,  but  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street,  a  flight  of 
stone  steps  leads  to  St.  Munchiri s  Church,  a  plain,  Gothic  structure, 
occupying  the  site  of  one  erected  in  the  seventh  century.  The  guide 
book  tells  us  that  the  first  church  built  by  the  Saint  was  on  the  south 
side  of  the  river,  and  that  in  regard  to  it  tradition  says,  the  zealous 
bishop  when  collecting  funds  for  its  erection,  found  the  Limerick  people 
so  unwilling  to  contribute,  that  he  became  provoked  and  cursed  them, 
declaring  that  the  natives  of  the  city  should  never  prosper  therein.  A 
large  distillery  now  occupies  the  site  of  the  primitive  erection.  The 
Cemetery  of  St.  Munchin  is  bounded  on  the  river  side  by  a  part  of 
the  old  city  wall,  which  remains  in  good  preservation.  Several  fragments 
of  the  wall  are  also  found  south  of  the  burial  ground  •  and  there  are 
considerable  remains  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  city  in  the  vicinity 
of  John  Square,  extending  about  100  yards  in  a  westerly  direction, 
and  being  35  feet  thick. 


RELIGIOUS  AND  PUBLIC  EDIFICES. 


201 


Near  to  John  Square  is  the  Roman  Catholic  Cathedral  of  St.  John. 
a  handsome  Gothic  structure,  erected  in  1856.  Its  extreme  length  is 
168  feet,  and  the  height  of  the  nave  to  the  apex  is  80  feet.  The  nave 
is  separated  from  aisles  19  feet  wide  by  piers  and  arches,  and  the  transepts 
extend  116  feet  from  north  to  south;  two  small  chapels  open  from  the 
eastern  side  of  each  transept,  the  latter  being  lighted  by  beautiful  rose 
windows.  The  chancel  is  43  feet  long  and  30  feet  wide,  and  contains  an 
elaborately  decorated  high  altar  and  a  life-size  statue  of  the  Madonna  by 
Benzoni,  which  are  the  gifts  respectively  of  a  benevolent  lady  and  the 
Right  Hon.  W.  Monsell,  M.  P.  On  the  north  side  of  the  church  is  a 
tower  70  feet  high,  above  which  it  is  intended  to  place  a  spire  measuring 
253  feet.  In  the  same  vicinity  stands  the  Protestant  Church  of  St.  John, 
erected  in  the  Norman  style  of  architecture  upon  the  site  of  an  older 
structure  taken  down  in  1843. 

The  other  ecclesiastical  edifices  worthy  of  special  mention  are  St. 
Alphonsus  Church,  built  in  1862  by  the  Redemptorist  Fathers,  and  St. 
Saviors  Church,  erected  from  the  unsolicited  subscriptions  of  citizens  of 
different  creeds  and  political  opinions.  Both  are  extremely  graceful  struc- 
tures of  cathedral  proportions,  have  highly  decorated  interiors,  and  reflect 
great  credit  upon  the  citizens  of  Limerick  for  their  exquisite  taste. 

Limerick,  being  eminently  a  Catholic  city,  possesses,  as  a  matter  of 
course,  several  religious  institutions.  Among  these  are  the  Convent  of 
Mount  Vincent,  a  handsome  building-  of  blue  limestone,  with  a  fine  Gothic 
church  ;  the  Laurel  Hill  Convent,  a  well-known  educational  establishment ; 
and  the  Convent  of  the  Sisters  of  Mercy,  situated  near  the  Cemetery  of 
St.  Munchin.  Within  the  precincts  of  the  last  named  convent  are  "  the 
remains  of  the  ivy-covered  transept  wall  of  a  church  with  high  lancet 
windows  ;  this,  with  a  curious  double  porch,  is  all  that  exists  of  the  great 
Dominican  Convent  founded  in  1227,  in  which  many  princes  and  prelates 
were  interred.  Amongst  the  rich  possessions  of  this  magnificent  institution 
was  the  important  fisher}-  of  the  salmon  weir." 

The  city  also  contains  several  public  buildings  of  a  civil  and  military 
character,  the  latter  embracing  four  large  Barracks,  and  the  former  the 
Custom  House,  Post  Office,  and  Chamber  of  Cofnmerce,  together  with  the 
usual  county  and  charitable  institutions.  It  has  likewise  extensive  quays, 
warehouses  and  docks,  for  the  transaction  of  its  export  and  import  trade. 

36 


202 


LIMERICK  AND  THE  LOWER  SHANNON. 


"The  harbor  extends  about  1600  yards  in  length,  and  150  in  breadth, 
with  from  two  to  nine  feet  at  low  water,  and  19  at  spring  tides;  which 
latter  enables  vessels  of  600  tons  to  moor  at  the  quays."  Vessels  of  1000 
tons,  however,  can  ascend  the  Shannon  to  within  five  miles  of  the  city. 
By  the  inland  navigation  of  the  Upper  Shannon,  Limerick  commands  a 
water  communication  with  Dublin  ;  and  by  railway  it  is  connected  with 
all  parts  of  Ireland  by  five  different  lines  entering  the  same  station. 

In  its  manufactures  Limerick  has  been  long  celebrated  for  its  lace,  in 
the  production  of  which  no  machinery  is  employed,  all  the  work  being 
done  by  hand  on  frames  or  patterns.  Some  of  the  varieties,  especially  that 
known  as  "  guipure,"  are  extremely  beautiful,  and  often  fetch  very  high 
prices.  Fish-hooks  of  beautiful  finish  and  temper,  and  gloves,  the  leather 
of  which  is  so  fine  that  a  pair  will  pass  through  a  wedding-ring,  or  may 
be  packed  up  in  a  walnut-shell,  are  also  among  its  excellent  productions. 
In  addition  to  these  manufactures,  the  linen  trade  has  been  established 
during  late  years,  and  there  is  the  army  clothing  factory  of  Sir  Peter  Tait, 
one  of  the  largest  establishments  of  its  kind  in  the  kingdom,  in  which 
about  3000  complete  suits  of  uniform  are  turned  out  weekly  for  various 
European  or  American  States.  Sir  Peter  Tait's  energy  and  enterprise 
have  indeed  so  materially  increased  the  prosperity  of  Limerick,  that  the 
citizens  have  erected  a  town  clock  in  his  honor.  There  are  also  numerous 
flour  mills  and  breweries  ;  and  a  large  export  trade  in  provisions  and 
agricultural  produce.  Limerick  had  in  1871  a  population  of  39,823, 
returns  two  members  to  Parliament,  and  takes  the  fourth  place  among 
Irish  cities  in  mercantile  importance  and  number  of  inhabitants. 

But  Limerick  is  not  more  noted  for  its  lace,  its  fish-hooks,  and  its 
gloves,  than  it  is  for  its  beautiful  lasses.  When  Thackeray  visited  the 
city  he  found  that  every  car  that  passed  with  ladies  in  it  was  sure  to 
contain  a  pretty  one,  and  remarked  that  he  never  saw  a  greater  number 
of  kind,  pleasing,  clever-looking  faces  among  any  set  of  people.  It  lays 
claim  to  being  the  birthplace  of  Catherine  Hayes,  the  best  lyric  vocalist 
that  Ireland  has  ever  produced. 

Garryowen,  meaning  "John's  Garden,"  is  a  famous  suburb  of  Limerick, 
and,  as  a  tea  garden,  was  formerly  a  favorite  resort  of  the  citizens.  It 
is  the  scene  of  the  opening  chapter  of  Gerald  Griffin's  "  Collegians "  , 
yet,  even  notwithstanding  the  excellence  of  the  ale  brewed  at  the  place, 


THE  WISE  MEN  OF  MUNGRET. 


203 


it  would  have  been  long  since  forgotten  but  for  the  popularity  of  a 
lively  song,  which  has  been  elevated  into  a  party  tune. 

A  drive  of  three  or  four  miles  to  the  south  of  Limerick  took  us 
to  Mungret,  one  of  the  most  ancient  abbeys  in  Ireland,  founded  by 
St.  Nessan,  a  contemporary  and  co-laborer  of  St.  Patrick.  Its  ruins, 
though  even  now  considerable,  represent  but  a  fragment  of  the  ancient 
monastery,  which,  "according  to  unquestionable  authority,  contained  1500 
monks,  exclusive  of  many  scholars  who  flocked  to  a  shrine  of  piety  and 
learning  famous  throughout  western  Europe."  There  were  originally  six 
churches  within  the  precincts,  but  the  remains  of  only  three  are  now 
noticeable,  the  architecture  of  one  at  least  of  which  Dr.  Petrie  assigns 
to  the  earliest  Christian  ages.  The  crumbling  walls  choked  up  with 
a  populous  graveyard  but  faintly  indicate  the  original  magnitude  of 
this  ancient  monastic  institution,  which  was  repeatedly  plundered  and 
burnt  by  the  Danes  between  the  years  820  and  1107.  "The  monastery," 
we  read,  "  was  the  home  of  500  learned  preachers,  whose  repute  for 
polemical  disputation  induced  the  divinity  doctors  of  a  noted  school, 
according  to  the  fashion  of  the  age,  to  make  a  long  journey  in  order 
to  hold  discussions  with  them.  The  wise  men  of  Mungret  hearing  of 
this  intention,  and  probably  feeling  their  own  inability  to  reason  with 
such  renowned  disputants,  determined,  it  is  said,  if  possible  to  evade 
the  encounter.  Some  of  them  accordingly,  disguising  themselves  as 
women,  commenced  vigorously  washing  clothes  in  a  pond  near  which 
the  foreign  doctors  should  pass.  As  the  learned  strangers  came  up 
they  stopped  to  ask  the  way,  and  were  at  once  answered  in  Greek. 
So  remarkable  an  acquirement  made  all  the  party  pause,  and  after  a 
conversation,  in  which  the  putative  washerwomen  proved  their  ability  to 
discourse  fluently  in  Latin  and  Hebrew,  the  doctors  consulted  together, 
and  determined  at  once  to  return,  considering  that,  if  the  women  of 
Mungret  were  possessed  of  so  much  erudition,  they  could  never  hope 
to  outwit  the  ecclesiastics." 


204 


THE  MIDDLE  AND   UPPER  SHANNON. 


CHAPTER  X. 


THE  MIDDLE  AND  UPPER  SHANNON. 


Course  of  the  River — Doonass  Rapids — Castle  Connell  and  its  Historical  Associations — Killaloe — 
Kinkora,  the  Palace  of  Brian  Boroimhe — Lough  Derg — fnnis-Ceallra  or  Holy  Island — 
Picturesque  Scenery — Portumna — Archaeological  Discoveries — Clonfert — Grand  Canal — River 
Suck — Ballinasloe  and  its  Famous  Fair — Battle  of  Aughrim — Seven  Churches  of  Clonmacnoise 
—  Temple  McDermott — Round  Towers — Ancient  Cross — Athlone  and  its  Brave  Defenders — 
Lissoy,  the  Scene  of  the  "Deserted  Village" — Upper  Shannon — Lough  Ree — Rincruin — 
Roscommon — Seven  Churches  of  Kilbarry — Car  rick-on- Shannon — Source  of  the  River. 

THE  middle  section  of  the  Shannon,  or  that  part  of  the  river  which 


J-  lies  between  Limerick  and  Athlone,  presents  probably  the  most 
beautiful  route  for  travel  in  the  inland  portion  of  Ireland.  In  ascending 
the  stream  from  its  mouth  to  Limerick,  the  course  travelled  is  eastwardly. 
With  the  exception  of  the  short  bend  to  the  north  immediately  above 
the  city,  that  course  is  continued  for  about  four  miles  further,  when 
the  river  trends  to  the  north-east,  and  that  becomes  its  general  bearing 
to  its  source.  Between  Limerick  and  Killaloe,  twelve  miles  above,  the 
Shannon  is  unnavigable  on  account  of  the  rapids  and  shallows  with 
which  it  is  beset,  the  fall  of  the  river  between  those  two  cities 
comprising  two-thirds  of  the  whole  fall  from  its  source  to  its  embouchure 
— the  total  being  147  feet,  and  that  between  the  two  points  named 
97  feet.  The  navigation,  however,  between  Limerick  and  Killaloe  is 
carried  on  by  a  lateral  canal,  those  places  being  further  connected  by 
a  railway  of  17  miles  in  length. 

Above  Limerick  the  banks  of  the  Shannon  are  adorned  by  many 
beautiful  mansions,  the  principal  of  which  is  Mount  Shannon,  the  seat 
of  the  Earl  of  Clare,  a  fine  residence,  surrounded  by  gardens  and 
plantations.  But  one  of  the  most  beautiful  parts  of  the  river  is  Doonass 
Rapids,  near    Castle   Connell,  greatly   resorted   to   by   the    citizens  of 


DOONASS  RAPIDS  AND  CASTLE  CONNELL. 


205 


Limerick  on  Sundays  and  holidays.  At  this  point  the  river,  for 
a  considerable  distance,  resembles  the  rapids  of  the  St.  Lawrence. 
Mr.  Inglis  remarks  that  "the  Shannon  is  here  almost  a  cataract,"  and 
adds.  "  pours  that  immense  body  of  water,  which  above  the  rapids  is 
40  feet  deep,  and  300  yards  wide,  through  and  above  an  aggregation 
of  huge  stones  and  rocks,  which  extend  nearly  half  a  mile  ;  and  offers 
not  only  an  unusual  scene,  but  a  spectacle  approaching  much  nearer 
to  the  sublime  than  any  moderate-sized  stream  can  offer  even  in  its 
highest  cascade.  None  of  the  Welsh  waterfalls,  nor  the  Geisbach  in 
Switzerland,  can  compare  for  a  moment  in  grandeur  and  effect  with  the 
rapids  of  the  Shannon."  Yet  experienced  boatmen  of  the  neighborhood 
shoot  the  rapids  with  dexterity  and  apparent  safety,  not,  however, 
without  sensations  of  alarm  to  the  nervous  voyager,  at  the,  to  him, 
hazardous  experiment.  Nor  is  the  river  the  only  attractive  object  at 
Castle  Connell  ;   its   adjuncts  are  all  beautiful. 

The  neat  little  village  of  Castle  Connell  derives  its  name  from  the 
ancient  fortress  of  the  O'Briens,  which  stands  on  the  summit  of  an 
isolated  rock  near  the  river,  and  of  which  all  that  is  left  is  part  of 
the  entrance  tower,  with  an  arched  doorway,  and  ruined  walls  thickly 
covered  with  ivy.  It  was  here  that  the  treacherous  Prince  of  Thomond, 
upon  a  visit  to  the  chief  who  held  it,  a  descendant  of  Brian  Boroimhe, 
caused  his  unfortunate  host,  after  his  eyes  had  been  put  out,  to  be 
murdered  by  some  troops  whom  he  had  brought  unobserved  to  the 
castle.  It  was  one  of  the  earliest  places  of  which  the  English  became 
possessed,  and  it  was,  in  11 99,  granted  by  King  John  to  William  de 
Burgh,  one  of  whose  successors  was  created  by  Queen  Elizabeth  Baron 
of  Castle  Connell.  Ireton  strongly  garrisoned  the  fortress  on  his  march 
to  Limerick  ;  and  in  1690  it  was  held  by  the  troops  of  James  II., 
who  surrendered  to  Brigadier  Stewart.  In  the  following  year,  however,  it 
was  again  occupied  by  250  of  the  Irish  army,  who,  after  a  two  days' 
attack,  were  compelled  to  surrender  to  the  Prince  of  Hesse,  and  then 
General  Ginkell  ordered  it  to  be  blown  up  ;  and  the  huge  masses  of 
masonry  strewing  the  face  of  the  rock  show  how  effectually  his  order 
was  executed.  Lady  Chatterton  mentions  that  there  is  a  tradition  among 
the  peasantry  which  assumes  that  the  ruins  of  the  old  castle  will  fall 
upon  the  wisest  person  in  the  world,  if  he  should  chance  to  pass  under  , 


206 


THE  MIDDLE  AND   UPPER  SHANNON. 


and  it  is  reported  that  a  gentleman  of  much  consideration  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, fancying  himself  entitled  to  the  honor,  never  could  be  prevailed 
on  to  approach  the  ruins,  and  when  obliged  to  ride  along  the  high-road 
to  Limerick,  which  runs  near,  always  passed  at  full  gallop.  The  late 
American  philanthropist,  George  Peabody,  annually  spent  some  weeks  at 
Castle  Connell,  in  the  enjoyment  of  trout  and  salmon  fishing,  for  which 
the  place  is  noted  ;  and  liberally  contributed  to  the  erection  of  its  Roman 
Catholic  church.  There  is  a  chalybeate  spa  here  long  famed  for  its 
efficacy  in  scorbutic  and  liver  complaints. 

A  short  distance  above  Castle  Connell,  the  Shannon,  is  crossed  by 
O'Brien's  Bridge,  originally  an  ancient  buildings  the  antiquity  of  which 
has  been  almost  obliterated  by  its  partial  destruction  by  the  Earl  of 
Ormonde  in  1556,  and  by  numerous  alterations  and  repairs.  Crossing 
the  bridge  into  the  County  of  Clare,  a  drive  of  a  few  miles  leads  to 
Killaloe,  which  is  also  reached  by  railway  from  Castle  Connell.  The 
line,  after  running  some  distance  to  the  east  of  the  Shannon,  enters 
Tipperary,  and  forms  a  junction  at  Birdhill  with  one  to  Nenagh,  the 
assize  town  for  the  Northern  Riding  of  that  county,  but  possessing 
little  of  interest  except  the  circular  keep  of  the  castle  of  the  Butlers, 
commonly  called  "  Nenagh  Round,"  and  one  of  the  largest  and  most 
important  structures  of  its  kind  in  Ireland. 

At  Killaloe  another  series  of  rapids  in  the  river  make  a  fall,  it  is 
said,  of  21  feet  in  the  course  of  a  mile.  The  small  but  ancient  city 
stands  on  the  Clare  shore,  and  is  connected  with  the  opposite  or 
Tipperary  bank  by  a  curious  old  bridge  of  19  arches,  which  forms  a 
beautiful  object  in  the  landscape  when  looking  down  the  river  from  the 
steamboat  pier  a  mile  above.  It  is  situated  at  the  southern  end  of 
Lough  Derg  (into  which  the  river  expands  over  a  score  of  miles 
further  north),  and  has  long  been  the  seat  of  a  bishop,  its  ancient 
cathedral,  attributed  to  Donald  O'Brien,  King  of  Limerick  in  1160,  being 
a  cruciform  structure  in  the  Early  Gothic  style,  and  having  a  massive 
tower  springing  from  the  intersection  of  the  nave  and  transepts.  There 
is,  however,  a  magnificent  Romanesque  doorway  of  much  earlier  date,  said 
to  have  been  the  tomb  of  Muircheartach  O'Brien.  This  cathedral,  the 
choir  of  which  is  now  used  as  a  parish  church,  occupies  the  site  of  one 
founded  in  the    sixth  century  by  St.   Lua,  or  Molua  (hence  the  name 


KILLALOE  AND  KINKORA 


207 


Kill-da-Ltia,  Church  of  St.  Lua),  who  "was  the  first  bishop,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  St.  Flannan,  consecrated  A.D.  639,  son  of  Theodoric,  King  of 
Munster,  through  whose  piety  the  place  speedily  attained  great  celebrity, 
and  became  the  burial-place  of  Muircheartach  O'Brien,  King  of  Ireland, 
1 1 20."*  Within  the  churchyard  is  a  second  ancient  building — a  stone- 
roofed  church — attributed  to  both  SS.  Molua  and  Flannan,  but  Dr.  Petrie 
considers  it  to  be  erected  by  the  latter,  assigning  to  the  former  another 
church,  to  be  found  on  an  island  in  the  river.  The  city  has  been 
repeatedly  destroyed  and  restored,  having  been  burnt  successively  in  1061, 
1080,  1 1 16,  1 154,  and  1 155.  A  timber  bridge  was  built  here  in  1054, 
but  evidently  did  not  outlast  two  centuries,  as  in  the  beginning  of  the 
fourteenth  the  passage  was  only  known  by  its  ford. 

A  mound  or  fort  called  Bal-Boroimhe  is  pointed  out  as  the  site  o£ 
Kinkora,  the  palace  of  Brian  Boroimhe,  referred  to  in  one  of  Moore's 
deathless  lyrics.  It  was,  however,  "  the  residence  of  several  of  the 
kings  of  Munster  and  North  Munster,  before  the  accession  of  the  most 
distinguished  of  them,  Brian  Boroimhe,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  tenth 
century  ;  but  it  was  under  Brian  himself,  who  held  his  court  here  both 
as  King  of  Munster  and  afterwards  as  monarch  of  all  Ireland,  that  the 
place  obtained  its  greatest  celebrity.  After  his  death,  at  the  celebrated 
battle  of  Clontarf  in  1014,  where  the  power  of  the  Northmen  was  forever 
broken  in  Ireland,  his  children  and  successors  continued  to  inhabit 
Kinkora  for  some  generations,  but  the  'palace'  shared  largely  in  their 
reverses.  Connected  with  Kinkora  was  a  character  not  less  famed  than 
the  patriot  monarch  Brian  himself,  although  in  a  different  vocation  ; 
this  was  his  chief  bard,  Mac  Liag,  a  few  of  whose  productions  have 
reached  posterity."  This  bard  did  not  long  survive  his  master,  for 
he  died  in  the  year  succeeding  the  fatal  battle  of  Clontarf.  After 
numerous  vicissitudes,  in  which  Kinkora  was  subject  to  destruction  and 
re-edification,  the  palace  was  finally  literally  flung  into  the  Shannon  in 
1 1 18,  by  the  army  of  Turlough  O'Connor  of  Connaught. 

Killaloe   pleasantly   rests    between    the    Arra    and    Slieve  Bernagh 

*  The  sees  of  Roscrea  and  Inis-Cealtra  were  united  to  Killaloe  about  1195.  Roscrea  (in  Queen's  County) 
was  the  seat  of  a  monastery  founded  by  St.  Cronan,  who  nourished  about  620,  was  abbot  and  bishop,  and 
of  such  sanctity  and  learning  that  several  miracles  were  attributed  to  his  prayers.  In  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church  the  diocese  of  Killaloe  continues  distinct ;  but  in  the  Protestant  Church,  that  of  Kilfenora  was 
united  to  it  in  1752,  and  the  sees  of  Clonfert  and  Kilmacduagh  in  1833. 


208 


THE  MIDDLE  AND   UPPER  SHANNON. 


Mountains,  respectively  15 17  and  1746  feet  in  height,  and  was  formerly  an 
important  military  pass.  It  was  here,  in  1691,  that  Sarsfield  intercepted  the 
artillery  of  King  William,  which  was  coming  up  to  aid  in  the  siege  of 
Limerick.  The  place  is  declared  to  be  "  the  Utopia  of  Irish  anglers, 
who  have  in  the  broad  weirs  and  rapids  of  the  Shannon  one  of  the 
finest  opportunities  for  sport  in  all  the  kingdom."  Here  are  also  situated 
extensive  slate  quarries,  which  are  said  to  produce  a  million  tons  annually ; 
and  an  extensive  mill  has  recently  been  erected  for  sawing  and  polishing 
the  much-esteemed  Killaloe  marble.  From  this  point  there  was  formerly 
regular  communication  northward  by  steam  through  Lough  Derg  and  up 
the  Shannon  to  Athlone,  and  southward  by  packet  boat  to  Limerick 
through  the  canal  which  branches  off  near  the  foot  of  the  lake.  It  is 
much  to  be  regretted,  however,  that  the  services  are  now  discontinued, 
especially  that  up  the  stream,  compelling  the  tourist  who  desires  to 
traverse  the  most  picturesque  portion  of  this  noble  river  to  incur  the 
expense  of  hiring  a  sail  or  row  boat. 

Leaving  Killaloe  then  by  boat  we  traversed  the  waters  of  Lough  Derg 
from  the  point  where  the  Shannon  reassumes  the  river  form  to  Portumna 
where  its  banks  recede  and  it  becomes  a  lake.  This  Lough  Derg, 
which  must  not  be  confounded  with  a  namesake  in  Donegal  County, 
is  twenty-four  miles  long  and  from  two  to  six  miles  broad,  and  in  one 
part,  where  bays  indent  the  land  to  the  east  and  to  the  west,  it  is 
thirteen  miles  across.  It  is  of  considerable  depth,  there  being  close 
to  the  shore  from  10  to  15  feet  of  water,  sometimes  40  feet,  while 
its  average  depth  in  mid  channel  is  from  70  to  80  feet.  Sir  John 
Forbes,  who  considers  it  one  of  the  finest  lakes  in  Ireland,  remarks 
that,  while  it  contains  many  islands,  "  it  presents  also  in  many  places  a 
magnificent  and  unbroken  sea-like  expanse.  At  its  lower  extremity,  and 
indeed  during  a  large  part  of  its  course,  it  is  bordered  by  magnificent 
mountains  ;  and  those  in  the  vicinity  of  Killaloe,  before  the  lake  opens 
out  into  its  greater  width,  constitute,  with  the  waters  the)'  shelter  and 
enclose,  one  of  the  grandest  and  most  beautiful  views  in  Ireland.  There 
is  nothing  in  the  Lower  Shannon  in  an)-  way  comparable  to  this  scene, 
which  of  itself  will  well  repay  the  traveler  for  any  circuitousness  in  the 
journey  he  may  make  to  see  it,  and  compensate  for  any  tameness  which 
may  greet  him  in  his  subsequent  course." 


LOUGH  DERG  AND  INIS-CEA L TRA. 


209 


The  most  noteworthy  of  its  islands  is  that  known  as  Inis-Cealtra  or 
Holy  Island  which  occupies  about  30  acres,  and  was  the  home  of  St. 
Cainim*  who  founded  a  monastery  in  it,  in  the  beginning  of  the  seventh 
century.  It  contains  the  ruins  of  seven  churches,  the  most  perfect  of 
which  are  said  to  have  been  rebuilt  by  Brian  Boroimhe  after  their 
destruction  by  the  Danes  in  834.  Here  is  also  a  Round  Tower  of  the 
date  of  about  the  tenth  century,  80  feet  in  height,  the  upper  story 
wanting,  celebrated  as  being  the  residence  of  an  anchorite  of  the  name 
of  St  Cosgrath,  "  the  miserable  ; "  and  an  ancient  cemetery,  with  some 
of  its  tombs  resembling  those  of  the  chiefs  on  the  island  of  Iona. 

The  scenery  of  the  western  shore  of  the  lake  presents  a  lofty  range  of 
mountains,  while  that  of  the  eastern  shore  is  not  particularly  interesting  ; 
from  the  latter  side,  however,  we  have  a  glimpse  at  the  widest  portion 
of  the  lake,  of  the  Devil's  Bit  mountains,  and  of  the  notch  whence 
the  erring  personage  whose  name  they  bear  extracted  the  morsel 
which  constitutes  the  Rock  of  Cashel.  The  shores  are  also  dotted 
with  remains  of  several  castles,  which  serve,  says  Forbes,  "  to  give 
variety  and  dignity  to  the  landscape,  by  recalling  the  old  legendary 
days  of  Ireland,  when  those  fortresses  were  the  abode  of  kings  and 
king-like  chieftains,"  The  county  of  Tipperary  extends  along  the 
eastern  shore  of  the  lake,  while  that  of  Clare  bounds  it  on  the  south- 
west, and  Galway  on  the  north-west. 

At  Portumna,  situated  at  the  head  of  the  lough,  we  were  once  more 
in  the  province  of  Connaught,  and  at  the  point  where  the  Shannon 
in  its  course  expands  its  banks  and  becomes  an  inland  sea.  The  town, 
mainly  consisting  of  two  parallel  streets,  though  situated  upon  a  plain, 
commands  fine  views  of  the  lake  and  of  the  Slieve  Baughta  hills  on 
the  west.  The  river  was  here  formerly  crossed  by  a  wooden  bridge, 
constructed  by  Lemuel  Cox,  the  American  bridge  builder,  of  whose 
works  at  Waterford,  Wexford,  and  New  Ross,  we  have  already  spoken ; 
but  it  has  been  replaced  by  a  stone  structure,  766  feet  in  length,  with 
its   centre    resting    on    an    island    in  the  stream,  and  having  a  swivel- 

*  The  venerable  Bede  mentions  that  St.  Columbus  of  Inis-Cealtra  died  in  548,  when  there  was  great  mortality 
in  Ireland,  which  would  indicate  that  St.  Cainim  was  not  the  first  ecclesiastic  who  resided  there.  An  abbot  of  Inis- 
Cealtra  named  Stellanus  flourished  in  650,  which  would  lead  to  the  impression  that  he  had  an  establishment  distinct 
from  that  of  Cainim,  who  was  probably  bishop  of  this  island,  with  a  jurisdiction  distinct  from  that  of  abbacy.  In 
951,  Dermot  McCahir  died  bishop  here.  The  bishopric  was  united  to  that  of  Killaloe  about  1195. 
27 


210 


THE  MIDDLE  AND   UPPER  SHANNON. 


bridge  to  facilitate  navigation.  Portumna  once  possessed  an  ancient  castle 
of  the  De  Burgos,  but  no  traces  of  it  are  left  ;  and  there  are  but 
few  remains  of  a  Dominican  abbey  founded  about  the  thirteenth 
century.  A  handsome  model  castle  belonging  to  the  Marquis  of 
Clanricarde,  the  owner  of  the  town,  was  burnt  down  in  1826,  along  with 
many  valuable  works  of  art  it  contained,  and  has  been  replaced  by  another 
on  an  eligible  site,  from  the  designs  of  Mr.  T.  N.  Deane.  On  the 
opposite,  or  Tipperary  side  of  the  river,  is  Belleisle,  the  seat  of  Lord 
Avonmore,  having  within  its  ground  the  keeps  of  two  castles. 

Not  only  the  lough  but  the  mountains  which  stand  guard  over  its 
western  shores  here  terminate  ;  and,  to  quote  Forbes,  "  henceforward, 
all  the  wav  to  Athlone,  the  Shannon  retains  the  characteristics  of  a 
low-land  river,  flowing,  with  singular  placidity,  through  a  country  that 
is  sometimes  tame,  sometimes  ugly,  not  seldom  beautiful,  but  never 
either  grand  or  picturesque.  The  river  itself,  however,  may  be  said 
to  be  always  grand  in  its  display  of  tranquil  power."  A  few  miles 
above  Portumna  the  Shannon  was  too  shallow  for  navigation  until  the  bed 
of  the  river  was  deepened  by  the  Commissioners.  In  the  performance 
of  the  work  several  interesting  pre-historic  relics  were  discovered.  "In  the 
greatest  depths  stone  hatchets  were  found,  evidently  indicating  a  very 
early  state  of  society.  In  a  stratum  overlying  this  were  bronzed  spears 
and  swords  ;  a  still  newer  deposit  contained  implements  of  iron,  as  swords 
and  spear-heads  ;  and  in  the  strata  nearest  the  surface  more  modern 
implements,  among  which  were  antiquated  firelocks.'' 

In  the  thirteen  miles  between  Portumna  and  Banagher,  the  Shannon 
in  some  places  divides  and  is  tortuous  and  uncertain,  and  in  one  a  canal 
has  been  cut  to  improve  the  navigation.  About  midway  between  these 
places  the  county  of  Tipperary  and  the  province  of  Munster  cease  to 
border  the  eastern  shore  of  the  river,  and  give  way  to  the  county  of 
King's  and  the  province  of  Leinster.  At  Banagher  a  bridge  of  six  arches 
with  a  swivel  has  replaced  an  ancient  bridge,  which  was  probably  one  of 
the  oldest  in  the  country,  having,  it  is  supposed,  stood  for  over  400  years.* 

*  Five  miles  to  the  northwest  of  Banagher  is  the  little  ecclesiastical  city  of  Clonfert  (Cluainfcarth,  the 
retired  spot),  where,  in  558,  St.  Brendan  founded  a  monastery  and  a  church  famous  for  its  seven  altars,  and 
became  the  first  bishop  of  the  diocese.  The  cathedral,  now  used  as  a  parish  church,  is  of  little  interest.  In 
1602  the  Protestant  see  was  united  to  that  of  Kilmacduagh,  and  in  1833  these  were  annexed  to  the  sees  of 
Killaloe  and  Kilfenora.  In  the  Roman  Catholic  church  Clonfert  is  a  separate  diocese,  with  the  bishop 
residing  at  Loughrea,  a  small  town  some  miles  to  the  west. 


BALLINASLOE  AND  ITS  GREAT  FAIR. 


211 


Somewhat  less  than  five  miles  further  brought  us  to  a  place  called 
Shannon  Harbor,  spoken  of  by  Lever  in  "  Jack  Hinton."  When  railway 
traveling  was  a  thing  of  the  future,  this  was  an  important  station, 
owing  to  its  location  at  the  junction  of  Shannon  navigation  with  that 
of  the  Grand  Canal,  which  flows  eighty  miles  eastward  to  the  Liffey  at 
Dublin,  and  sends  off  an  extension  of  fifteen  miles  from  the  opposite 
side  of  the  Shannon  northwest  to  Ballinasloe.  Five  miles  higher  up, 
the  river  Suck  enters  on  the  west,  dividing  the  counties  of  Galway  and 
Roscommon,  both  in  Connaught,  so  that,  with  King's  county  on  the 
opposite  shore  of  the  main  stream,  three  counties  meet  at  this  point. 
The  Shannon  is  here  crossed  by  a  bridge  of  18  arches,  having  the  town 
of  Shannonbridge  at  its  Leinster  end,  and  a  tete  du  pont  and  an  artillery 
barrack  at  its  Connaught  terminus. 

A  few  miles  up  the  Suck,  and  on  the  line  of  railway  between  Dublin 
and  Galway,  is  Ballinasloe,  a  busy  town  of  about  4000  inhabitants,  and 
the  scene  of  the  greatest  live  stock  market  in  Europe.  Its  more  ancient 
name,  Bal-atha-na-sluighcadh,  the  Mouth  of  the  Ford  of  Hosts,  indicates 
that  it  was  a  place  of  meeting  and  probably  of  barter  in  early  times. 
The  oldest  name  of  the  place  was,  however,  Dun  Leodha,  or  Dunlo, 
from  its  dun  or  fort,  which  formerly  stood  over  the  Suck,  but  was 
removed  in  1838  and  a  Roman  Catholic  chapel  built  on  its  site. 
Nearly  100,000  head  of  sheep  alone  have  been  sold  at  one  of  its  annual 
fairs  which  take  place  in  October  and  last  several  days,  in  addition  to 
which  several  thousands  of  horses  and  horned  cattle  have  changed  owners. 

o 

The  fair  is  held  partly  in  the  town  and  partly  in  the  grounds  of 
Garbally  Castle,  the  beautiful  residence  of  Lord  Clancarty  ;  and  the 
extensive  cattle  raisers  of  Connaught  annually  exhibit  their  flocks  on 
the  same  plot,  the  right  to  the  possession  of  which  they  stoutly  contest 
with  intruders. 

Not  far  from  Ballinasloe  is  the  village  of  Aughrim,  rendered  famous 
by  the  memorable  battle  fought  on  the  neighboring  heights  of  Kilcom- 
madan,  July  12,  1691,  between  the  army  of  James,  under  St.  Ruth  and 
Sarsfield,  and  that  of  William,  under  Ginkell  and  Talmash,  in  which  the 
former  was  defeated  with  the  loss  of  7000  men  and  one  of  its  com- 
manders, St.   Ruth,  who  was  slain  by  a  cannon  ball. 

Some   singular   gravel    ridges    or   hills,  forming   the   Aisgir  Riadha 


212 


THE  MIDDLE  AND   UPPER  SHANNON. 


which  intersect  Ireland  from  east  to  west,  cross  the  Shannon  about  four 
miles  above  its  confluence  with  the  Suck,  and  cause  the  river  to  be 
deflected  and  make  a  bend.  The  hills  breaking  their  direct  lines  as 
they  approach  the  stream,  form  an  amphitheatre,  upon  the  southern  curve 
of  which  stand  the  remains  of  the  Seven  Churches  of  Clonmacnoise. 
Here  was  the  school  where  the  nobility  of  Connaught  had  their  children 
educated,  which  obtained  for  the  place  the  name  of  Cluan-mac-nois,  "  the 
Secluded  Recess  of  the  Sons  of  Nobles."  Of  this  famous  school  and  the 
abbey  it  is  recorded,  that  "  its  landed  property  was  so  great,  and  the 
number  of  cells  and  monasteries  subjected  to  it  so  numerous,  that  almost 
half  of  Ireland  was  said  to  be  within  the  bounds  of  Clonmacnoise." 
The  abbey  was  founded  in  548  by  St.  Kieran,  and,  having  been  endowed 
with  lands  by  the  Irish  king  Dermid  Mac  Cervail,  became  an  episcopal 
see.  "  This  foundation,"  writes  Wills,  "  was  afterwards  enlarged  by  several 
additions  in  different  periods.  The  piety — or  pride— of  kings  and  princes 
added  nine  churches  for  the  sepulchre  of  their  remains,  all  within  the 
same  enclosure,  and  within  the  small  space  of  two  acres."  In  1 199, 
having  then  become  a  place  of  much  importance,  it  was  attacked  by 
the  army  of  William  De  Burgo,  was  next  year  plundered  by  the  forces 
of  Milor  Fitz-Henry,  who  in  the  year  following  revisited  it  and  ruthlessly 
completed  the  despoliation  De  Burgo  began.  In  these  ravages  the  town 
and  the  cathedral  suffered  great  violence  and  depredation,  and  the  monks 
and  priests  were  despoiled  of  vestments,  books,  chalices,  plate,  provisions, 
and  cattle,  and  their  grounds  laid  waste.  Notwithstanding  this,  the 
ecclesiastical  institution  posssessed  sufficient  vitality  to  be  considered 
again  worth  plundering  by  De  Burgo  in  1204;  and  continued  to  flourish 
under  a  regular  succession  of  prelates  until  1568,  when  the  see  was 
united  to  that  of  Meath. 

The  most  important  and  the  gem  of  the  ecclesiastical  remains  at 
Clonmacnoise  is  Dahmliag  Mor,  or  Great  Church,  recorded  to  have 
been  erected  in  909  by  Flann,  a  King  of  Ireland,  and  Colman 
Conaillech,  Abbot  of  Clonmacnoise,  and  subsequently  re-edified  in  the 
thirteenth  or  fourteenth  century  by  Tomultach  McDermott,  chief  of 
Moyhurg.  A  tablet  on  the  wall  records  that  it  was  repaired  in  1647, 
by  McCoghlan,  the  last  of  the  Irish  chiefs.  Its  most  ancient  portion 
is  the  great  western  doorway,  which  Petrie  considers  to  have  been  part 


SEVEN  CHURCHES  OF  CLONMACNOISE. 


213 


of  the  original  church.  But  the  Northern  Doorway  of  Temple 
McDermott,  by  which  name  the  church  is  known,  is  the  leading 
feature  of  the  edifice.  An  inscription  in  Latin  on  the  pillars  attributes 
its  erection  to  Dean  Odo,  and,  wrote  Caesar  Otway  half  a  century 
ago,  "  the  elaborate  tracery,  on  which  the  whole  fancy  and  vagary 
of  Gothic  license  is  lavished,  stands  forth  as  sharp,  fresh,  and  clean, 
as  if  but  yesterday  from  under  the  chisel."  Three  effigies  over  the 
arch  represent  St.  Patrick  in  his  pontificals,  in  the  centre,  with  St. 
Francis  and  St.  Dominick  on  either  side,  and  the  portraits  of  the 
group  are  repeated  on  a  higher  row.  This  beautiful  doorway  and 
some  other  of  the  remains  at  this  place  were  wantonly  mutilated  some 
years  ago,  and  the  alleged  offender  very  properly  prosecuted  by  the 
Kilkenny  Archaeological  Society,  but  the  jury  failed  to  agree  upon  a 
verdict.  Tcampul  Finghin,  or  Fineen's  Church,  is  believed  to  have  been 
erected  about  the  thirteenth  century  by  Fineen  McCarthy  More,  and 
presents  little  of  interest  beyond  its  chancel  and  a  Round  Tower,  of 
which  we  shall  speak  directly,  attached  to  the  south-east  junction  with 
the  nave.  A  third  church  known  as  Tcampul  Connor,  founded  in  the 
tenth  century  by  Cathol,  the  son  of  Connor,  is  now  used  as  a  parish 
church,  and  has  for  its  only  antiquity  a  circular  headed  doorway  of 
that  period.  In  addition  to  these  there  also  exist  some  ruins  of  a 
small  church  or  oratory  of  St.  Kieran,  where  he  is  supposed  to  have 
been  buried,  and  which,  when  perfect,  must  have  been  so  small  that 
a  tall  man  could  scarcely  have  laid  at  length  in  it.  In  former  days 
it  was  the  custom  to  hold  an  annual  pattern  here,  when  from  3000  to 
4000  pilgrims  from  all  parts  of  Ireland  came  to  listen  to  preaching 
and  perform  a  special  round  of  devotion.  "  Many  of  the  devotees 
sought  relics  of  the  Saint,  and  dug  down  deep  amongst  the  stones 
and  rubbish  of  this  little  oratory  for  some  trace  of  soil  or  bone, 
believing  that  the  fortunate  possessor  had  a  specific  against  sickness  and 
disease  ; "  it  being  the  custom  of  such  people  to  steep  the  holy  earth 
in  water  and  drink  it.  Among  the  archaeological  remains  is  a  beautiful 
arch  of  the  most  florid  Gothic  workmanship,  which  evidently  formed 
the  opening  from  the  body  of  a  church  into  its  chancel.  And  it  is 
a  wonder  that  it  exists  to  this  day  and  that  pilgrims  are  still  enabled 
to  perform  the  penance  of  creeping  under  it,  for  when   Otway   saw  it, 


214 


THE  MIDDLE  AND   UPPER  SHANNON. 


he  remarked  of  it  :  "  It  now  totters  to  its  fall — it  is  even  surprising 
that  it  does  not  tumble  ;  and  I  suspected  that  it  would  long  ago 
have  fallen  a  victim  to  the  elements  or  to  the  barbarous  violence  of 
the  people,  were  it  not  that  it  is  considered  as  part  of  an  expiating 
penance  for  the  pilgrim  to  creep  on  his  bare  knees  under  this  arch 
while  approaching  the  altar-stone  of  the  chapel,  where  sundry  paters 
and  aves  must  be  repeated  as  essential  to  keeping  the  station."  Adjoining 
is  a  holy  stone  on  which  St.  Kieran  sat,  and  the  sitting  on  it  now, 
under  the  affiance  of  faith,  is  presumed  to  be  a  sovereign  cure  in  all 
cases  of  epilepsy. 

There  are  two  Round  Towers  at  Clonmacnoise,  of  which  the  largest, 
or  O'Rourke's,  is  roofless,  and  declines  from,  the  perpendicular,  "  like  the 
well  known  tower  of  Pisa,  and,  strangely  enough,  having  a  similar  tradition 
that  the  designing  mason  built  it  so  in  order  to  show  his  matchless 
skill."  It  is  90  feet  in  height,  stands  on  an  elevation,  is  composed 
partly  of  the  gray  limestone  of  the  district,  is  entered  by  a  door  15  feet 
above  the  ground,  and  has  eight  apertures  at  the  top — double  the  usual 
number.  It  is  presumed  to  have  been  erected  about  908,  coeval  with 
the  Dahmliag  Mor,  but  shows  signs  of  having  been  repaired  at  a 
considerably  later  period.  In  alluding  to  its  elevated  position,  which 
makes  it  a  conspicuous  feature  to  the  country  around,  it  has  been 
observed  :  "  It  was  high  enough  to  take  cognizance  of  the  coming 
enemy,  let  him  come  from  what  point  he  might  ;  it  commanded  the 
ancient  causeway  that  was  laid  down  at  a  considerable  expense  across 
the  great  bog  on  the  Connaught  side  of  the  Shannon  ;  it  looked  up 
and  down  the  river,  and  commanded  the  tortuous  and  sweeping  reaches 
of  the  stream,  as  it  unfolded  itself  like  an  uncoiling  serpent  along  the 
surrounding  bogs  and  marshes  ;  it  commanded  the  line  of  the  Aisgir 
Riadha ;  could  hold  communication  with  the  holy  places  of  Clonfert ; 
and  from  the  top  of  its  pillared  height  send  its  beacon  light  towards  the 
sacred  isles  and  anchorite  retreats  of  Lough  Rea  ;  it  was  large  and  roomy 
enough  to  contain  all  the  officiating  priests  of  Clonmacnoise,  with  their 
pixes,  vestments,  and  books  ;  and  though  the  pagan  Dane  or  the  wild 
Munsterman  might  rush  on  in  rapid  inroad,  yet  the  solitary  watcher  on 
the  tower  was  ready  to  give  warning,  and  collect  within  the  protecting 
pillar  all  the  holy  men  and  things,  until  the  tyranny  was  overpast." 


ROUND  TOWER  AND  ANCIENT  CROSS. 


215 


The  other,  or  McCarthy's  tower,  is  that  attached  to  the  church  of 
which  we  have  spoken  above.  "  This  tower,"  Otway  remarked,  "  though 
small,  is  one  of  the  most  perfect  in  Ireland;  it  is  conically  capped,  and 
the  ranges  of  stone  forming  the  cover  are  of  the  most  beautiful  and 
sineular  arrangement.  The  tower  stands  on  the  south  side  of  the 
chancel  of  the  church,  and  the  doorway  of  the  tower  instead  of  beine 
elevated  ten  or  fifteen  feet  from  the  ground  is  on  a  level  with  the 
floor  of  the  chancel  from  which  it  leads  ;  it  is  within  a  few  feet  of 
the  altar  ;  moreover,  the  archway  leading  from  the  nave  of  the  church 
into  the  chancel,  which  is  of  the  most  finished  and  at  the  same  time 
chaste  order  of  Gothic  construction,  is  wrought  into  the  body  of  the 
Round  Tower,  part  of  whose  rotundity  is  sacrificed  to  give  room  and 
form  to  the  display  of  its  light  and  elegant  span.  Now  these  two 
circumstances  convince  me  that,  in  the  first  place,  the  church  and  tower 
were  built  at  the  same  time  ;  moreover,  that  as  the  church  was  placed 
more  remote  than  other  churches,  and  nearer  invaders  coming  across 
the  Shannon,  the  tower  was  provided  as  a  look-out  station  and  place 
of  ready  retreat  for  the  priests  to  retire  to  with  their  sacred  vessels 
and  books."  The  tower  measures  but  seven  feet  in  diameter  within, 
and  is  but  fifty-five  feet  high  ;  and  the  writer  just  quoted  thought  he 
could  discern  the  marks  of  stairs  that  rose  spirally  to  the  top,  a 
peculiarity  unnoticed  in  other  Round  Towers  which,  though  they  present 
evidence  of  floors,  story  over  story,  in  no  instance  show  marks  of  spiral 
stairs. 

The  third  great  feature  at  Clonmacnoise  is  an  Ancient  Cross, 
situated  in  front  of,  and  evidently  of  the  same  date  as  Teampul 
McDermot.  and  consisting  of  a  single  elaborately  carved  stone  15  feet 
high.  An  inscription  in  Irish  on  the  lower  compartment  of  the  western 
front  of  the  shaft  requests  "a  prayer  for  Flann,  son  of  Maelsechlainn  : " 
and  one  on  the  reverse,  "  a  prayer  for  Coleman,  who  made  this  cross 
on  the  King  Flann."  The  sculpture  on  the  west  side  commemorates 
the  original  foundation  of  Clonmacnoise  by  St.  Kieran,  while  that  on 
the  opposite  side  delineates  scenes  in  the  life  of  our  Saviour,  whence  it 
has  obtained  the  name  of  the  Cros  na  Screaptra,  or  Cross  of  the 
Scriptures.  St.  Kieran  himself  is  represented  with  a  hammer  in  one 
hand  and  a  mallet  in  the  other. 


216 


THE  MIDDLE  AND   UPPER  SHANNON. 


That  the  Episcopal  palace  and  castle  of  the  O'Melaghlin's,  which 
overlooks  the  river,  must  have  been  a  fortress  of  immense  strength,  is 
apparent  from  the  huge  fragments  which  are  either  strewn  in  the  fosse 
or  lie  in  heaps  around  ;  and  the  tenacity  of  the  cement  which  holds 
the  gigantic  pieces  together  is  very  remarkable.  Some  distance  to  the 
northeast  are  the  remains  of  a  nunnery  founded  by  Devorgilla,  daughter 
of  O'Melaghlin,  which  is  said  to  be  connected  with  the  church  by  a 
subterranean  passage.  The  cemetery  having  long  been  the  burying 
place  of  kings,  princes,  and  chiefs,  possesses  great  interest  to  antiquarians, 
and  contains  several  crosses  and  inscribed  tombstones  of  some  of  the 
ecclesiastical  dignitaries  of  the  place,  of  the  tenth  century,  and  of  Suibne 
MacMaelhumai,  one  of  the  three  Irishmen  who  visited  Alfred  the  Great. 
In  fact  the  whole  place  is  crowded  with  gravestones,  indicating  the 
popularity  of  Clonmacnoise  as  a  place  of  interment.  "  Here,"  quoth 
Otway,  "  is  the  largest  enclosure  of  tombs  and  churches  I  have  anywhere 
seen  in  Ireland.  What  a  mixture  of  old  and  new  graves  !  Modern 
inscriptions  recording  the  death  and  virtues  of  the  sons  of  little  men, 
the  rude  forefathers  of  the  surrounding  hamlets  ;  ancient  inscriptions  in 
the  oldest  forms  of  Irish  letters,  recording  the  deeds  and  the  hopes  of 
kings,  bishops,  and  abbots,  buried  a  thousand  years  ago,  lying  about 
broken,  neglected,  and  dishonored,  what  would  I  give  could  I  have 
deciphered  !  " 

The  Shannon,  in  the  nine  miles  of  its  course  between  Clonmacnoise 
and  Athlone,  is  a  dull  and  uninteresting  river  surrounded  by  bogs.  To 
once  more  employ  the  language  of  Caesar  Otway,  "  it  creeps  through 
dismal  flats  and  swamps  ;  and  the  narrow  tracts  of  meadow  and  small 
patches  of  cultivation  along  its  banks,  only  tend,  like  green  fringes  to  a 
mourning  drapery,  to  mark  off,  as  by  contrast,  the  extreme  dreariness 
of  the  picture."  A  pile  of  stones  at  the  end  of  an  island  in  the  middle 
of  the  river  marks  the  union  of  three  counties — King's,  Westmeath,  and 
Roscommon. 

Athlone  is  situated  on  both  sides  of  the  Shannon,  partly  in  the 
county  of  Westmeath  and  partly  in  that  of  Roscommon.  Its  position 
consequently  made  it  the  great  gateway  from  Leinster  into  Connaught 
for  several  centuries,  and  it  was  the  scene  of  many  a  bloody  battle  long 
before  the  war  of  the  Revolution.    "  Although,"  we  read,  "  a  settlement 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  ATHLONE. 


1\1 


existed  here,  known  by  the  name  of  Ath-Luain,  the  Ford  of  the  Moon, 
or,  according  to  others,  Ath-Luan,  the  Ford  of  the  Rapids,  it  was  not 
until  the  reign  of  John  that  the  castle  was  erected,  and  it  became  an 
important  military  station — so  important,  indeed,  that,  when  Henry  III. 
granted  the  dominion  of  Ireland  to  Prince  Edward,  Athlone  was  expressly 
reserved ; "  and,  subsequently,  when  Connaught  was  assigned  to  Richard 
de  Burgo,  the  monarch  retained  for  his  own  especial  use  "  five  cantreds 
of  land  contiguous  to  the  fortress."  In  the  insurrection  of  1641,  Athlone 
was  closely  besieged  by  the  Connaught  men  for  22  weeks,  until  the 
relief  of  the  garrison,  which  was  greatly  reduced  by  famine  and  disease  ; 
and  it  was  taken  by  the  parliamentary  army  under  Sir  C.  Coote.  It 
was,  however,  during  the  great  Revolution  that  Athlone  became  the  scene 
of  important  military  events.  After  the  battle  of  the  Boyne,  in  1690,  the 
victorious  army  of  William  appeared  before  its  walls  and  demanded  its 
surrender  ;  upon  which  Colonel  Grace,  who  commanded  the  garrison,  defi- 
antly replied,  discharging  his  pistol  in  the  air,  "  These  are  my  terms  ; 
these  only  will  I  give  or  receive  ;  and  when  my  provisions  are  consumed, 
I  will  defend  my  trust  until  I  have  eaten  my  boots  ; "  and  then,  aware 
of  the  impossibility  of  defending  the  entire  town  with  the  few  troops  at 
his  disposal,  he  burned  down  the  eastern  portion,  destroyed  some  arches 
of  the  only  bridge*  crossing  the  river,  and  retired  to  the  western  or 
Connaught  shore,  on  which  stood  the  castle.  After  unsuccessfully  battering 
the  fortress  for  eight  days,  General  Douglas  withdrew  William's  forces 
under  cover  of  night.  In  the  following  summer  Athlone  was  again 
attacked    by  the    main    body  of   King   William's   army  under  General 

*  The  old  bridge  at  Athlone  was  built  in  the  ninth  year  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  reign,  by  order  of  Sir 
Henry  Sidney,  Knt.,  who  availed  himself  of  the  mechanical  and  scientific  knowledge  of  Peter  Levis,  a  dignitary 
of  Christ  Church,  Dublin.  These  facts  were  recorded  in  a  monument  placed  over  the  centre  of  the  bridge 
and  still  preserved.  This  tablet  has  in  one  of  its  compartments  the  figure  of  Peter  Levis  attired  in  his 
Geneva  gown,  grasping  in  his  right  hand  a  pistol,  or  what  has  been  supposed  to  represent  one,  with  a  rat 
upon  it  in  the  act  of  biting  the  man's  hand.  There  is  a  curious  story  related  of  the  sculpture.  This 
Peter  Levis  was  a  monk  in  an  English  monastery,  who,  having  adopted  the  Reformed  mode  of  faith,  came 
to  Ireland  and  obtained  preferment  in  the  Protestant  church.  But  the  converted  monk,  though  fortunate 
in  his  worldly  ambition,  could  never  enjoy  his  prosperity.  He  was  tormented  night  and  day  by  a  righteous 
rat,  who,  indignant  at  his  apostacy,  continually  haunted  him.  He  bore  the  annoyance  patiently  for  a  long 
time,  until  one  day,  descending  from  the  pulpit  of  St.  Mary's  Church,  Athlone,  after  preaching,  he  discovered 
his  tormentor  hidden  in  the  sleeve  of  his  gown  ;  when,  unable  longer  to  restrain  his  rage,  he  drew  a  pistol 
from  his  breast  in  order  to  shoot  the  animal,  whereupon  it  sprang  upon  his  hand  and  bit  him  in  the 
thumb ;  and  the  wound  producing  mortification  resulted  in  his  death. 
28 


218 


THE  MIDDLE  AND   UPPER  SHANNON. 


Ginkell,  afterwards  Earl  of  Athlone,  the  Irish  army  under  St.  Ruth 
being  at  the  time  encamped  in  the  vicinity.  The  siege  commenced  on 
the  tenth  of  June,  and  continued  with  the  utmost  vigor  for  ten  days, 
during  which  12,000  cannon-balls,  600  bombs,  and  many  tons  of  stone-shot 
were  expended  by  the  besiegers.  Various  breaches  having  been  made, 
Ginkell  considered  it  expedient  to  attempt  an  assault.  The  English, 
on  their  side  of  the  broken  arch,  had  thrown  up  a  regular  breastwork ; 
while  the  defence  on  the  part  of  the  Irish  was  constructed  altogether 
of  earth  and  wattles,  which  was  set  fire  to  by  the  grenades  and  other 
burning  missiles  of  the  opposing  force.  "  While  it  was  fiercely  burning," 
says  a  writer  on  the  subject,  "  the  English,  concealed  by  the  flame  and 
smoke,  succeeded  in  pushing  a  large  beam  ■  across  the  chasm,  and  now 
it  was  only  necessary  to  place  boards  over  the  beams,  and  the  river 
was  crossed ;  when  an  Irish  sergeant  and  ten  men  in  armor  leaped 
across  the  burning  breastwork  and  proceeded  to  tear  up  the  beams  and 
planks.  The  British  were  astonished  at  such  hardihood,  and  actually 
paused  in  making  any  opposition  ;  but  the  next  instant  a  shower  of 
grape-shot  and  grenades  swept  these  brave  men  away,  who,  nevertheless, 
were  instantly  succeeded  by  another  party,  that,  in  spite  of  the  iron 
hail-storm,  tore  up  planks  and  beams  and  foiled  the  enterprise  of  their 
foes.  Of  this  second  party  only  two  escaped  :  there  is  scarcely  on 
record  a  nobler  instance  of  heroism  than  this  deliberate  act  of  these 
Irish  soldiers,  who  have  died  without  a  name."  The  two  who  escaped 
were  precipitated  into  the  river,  and  swam  to  the  shore — 

"  O,  many  a  year  upon  Shannon's  side, 

They  sang  upon  moor,  and  they  sang  upon  heath 
Of  the  twain  that  breasted  that  raging  tide, 

And  the  ten  that  shook  bloody  hands  with  Death  !  " 

The  English  commander,  disappointed  at  the  failure  of  his  stratagem, 
resolved  to  pass  the  river  next  day  at  three  places — one  party  to  go  over 
the  bridge,  a  second  to  ford  the  river,  about  150  feet  above  it,  and  a  third 
to  cross  at  another  point  over  a  bridge  of  boats  and  pontoons.  "  The 
attempt,"  remarks  the  historian,  "  was  considered  to  be  rash  and  desperate, 
as  no  discovery  had  been  made  whether  the  river  was  fordable.  Three 
Danish  soldiers,  under  sentence  of  death,  were  offered  their  pardon  if 
they   would    undertake    to    try    the    river.    The   men  readily  consented, 


CAPTURE  OF  ATHLONE. 


219 


and  putting  on  armor  entered  at  three  several  places.  The  English  in 
the  trenches  were  ordered  to  fire  seemingly  at  them,  but  to  aim  over 
their  heads,  whence  the  enemy  concluded  them  to  be  deserters,  and 
did  not  fire  till  they  saw  them  returning.  The  men  were  preserved, 
two  of  them  being  only  slightly  wounded  ;  and  it  was  discovered  that  the 
deepest  part  of  the  river  did  not  reach  their  breasts,  the  water  having  never 
been  known  so  shallow  in  the  memory  of  man."  The  order  at  length 
being  given  for  the  passage  of  the  English  army,  such  was  the  alacrity 
with  which  it  was  obeyed  that  in  half  an  hour  the  troops  had  passed 
over,  were  masters  of  the  fortress,  and  turned  its  guns  upon  the  retreating 
Irish.  The  French  general,  St.  Ruth,  whose  confidence  in  the  strength 
of  the  town  betrayed  him  into  culpable  security,  was  at  the  time  amusing 
himself  with  his  officers,  dancing-  and  gambling;  in  a  house  about  a  mile 
distant,  and  laughed  to  scorn  the  first  account  brought  him  of  the  English 
having  taken  the  place.  The  disastrous  intelligence  was,  however,  soon 
fully  confirmed ;  and  this  rash  but  brave  man  was  obliged  to  make  a 
precipitate  retreat  into  Connaught,  where  he  was  shortly  afterwards  killed 
in  the  battle  of  Aughrim,  as  we  have  already  mentioned. 

The  old  fortress  is  still  formidable,  but  was  almost  impregnable 
previous  to  1697,  in  the  October  of  which  a  flash  of  lightning  exploded 
the  magazine,  then  containing"  260  barrels  of  gunpowder,  10,000  charged 
grenades,  matches,  and  other  combustibles.  The  concussion  was  naturally 
most  terrific,  shaking  the  strong  castle,  and  more  or  less  injuring  every 
house  in  the  town  ;  and  yet,  remarkable  to  relate,  there  was  but  little 
loss  of  life.  The  castle  and  its  surroundings  are  now  employed  as 
military  barracks  for  infantry,  cavalry,  and  artillery,  with  arms  for  15,000 
men  ;  and  stores,  hospitals,  parade-grounds,  etc. — the  whole  occupying  an 
area  of  15  acres.  The  military  defences  command  the  approaches  from 
the  Connaught  side  and  the  bridge  which  leads  into  Leinster  ;  and  a 
canal,  constructed  to  avoid  the  fords  of  the  Shannon,  adds  to  their 
strength.  The  celebrated  old  bridge,  only  twelve  feet  broad,  was  removed 
some  years  ago  by  order  of  the  Shannon  Commissioners,  and  its  place 
supplied  by  a  handsome  commodious  new  one.  The  river  is  also  crossed 
at  Athlone  by  a  magnificent  iron  railway  bridge,  supported  by  twelve 
cast-iron  cylindrical  piers,  and  560  feet  in  extreme  length,  including  two 
spans  over  roads  on  the  sides  of  the  stream. 


220 


THE  MIDDLE  AND   UPPER  SHANNON. 


The  town,  of  which  a  good  view  is  obtained  from  the  fortified 
heights  on  the  west,  is  the  most  important  place  between  Dublin  and 
Galway  ;  and,  though  its  streets  are  the  reverse  of  picturesque,  they 
still  present  a  bustling  appearance,  from  the  place  being  an  important  mili- 
tary station.  At  the  taking  of  the  census  in  1871,  Athlone  had  a  popula- 
tion of  6227,  and  returns  one  member  to  Parliament.  Its  churches  and 
public  buildings  possess  little  of  interest.  A  branch  of  the  Great  Southern 
and  Western  Railway,  which  passes  for  a  considerable  distance  over  the 
great  bog  of  Allen,  connects  Athlone  with  Portarlington,  and  forms  the 
pathway  of  travel  from  hence  to  Cork  and  the  south  of  Ireland. 

From  Athlone  we  made  a  pilgrimage  to  the  modest  little  village  of 
Lissoy,  now  more  poetically  named  Auburn,  the  early  home  of  the  poet 
Goldsmith,  and  the  reputed  scene  of  his  "  Deserted  Village."  It  is  eight 
miles  north  of  the  town,  is  situated  in  a  district  more  remarkable  for 
quiet  pastoral  beauty  than  romantic  grandeur,  and  is  in  perfect  harmony 
with  the  character  that  pervades  all  the  writings  of  that  delightful  poet 
of  nature.  Goldsmith  was  born  at  Pallas,  near  Ballymahon,  a  few  miles 
from  Lissoy  ;  but  he  spent  many  of  his  youthful  days  at  the  latter 
place,  where  his  brother,  the  Rev.  Charles  Goldsmith,  resided  and  brought 
up  a  large  family  on  a  miserable  pittance.  The  house  is  still  pointed 
out,  but  alas  !  time  and  neglect  have  reduced  it  to  ruins,  and  a  roofless 
shell  is  all  that  now  remains  to  point  out  the  place  where 

"  The  village  preacher's  modest  mansion  rose." 

But  though  the  mouldering  walls  be  crumbled  into  dust,  and  the  hearth 
be  cold  around  which  "  the  long-remembered  beggar,"  "  the  ruined  spend- 
thrift," and  "  the  broken  soldier "  forgot  their  sorrows,  the  memory  of 
that  good  man,  whose  picture  has  been  drawn  with  the  feeling  of  a 
poet  and  the  affection  of  a  brother,  will  live  forever  in  the  purest  page 
of  English  literature.  To  this  brother,  to  whom  he  was  tenderly 
attached,  Goldsmith  dedicated  his  exquisite  poem  of  "  The  Traveler "  ; 
and  in  him  he  found  the  original  of  Dr.  Primrose,  in  his  admirable 
novel,  "  The  Vicar  of  Wakefield." 

Many  of  the  features  depicted  in  the  poem  have  disappeared  from 
the  village,  and  others  have  been  replaced. 

"  The  never-failing  brook,  the  busy  mill  ; 

The  decent  church  that  topp'd  the  neighboring  hill," 


"  THE  DESERTED  VILLAGE: 


221 


are  still  to  be  seen ;  but  the  village  inn,  the  "  Three  Pigeons,"*  was 
rebuilt  by  Mr.  Hogan,  and  the  hawthorn  was,  unfortunately,  knocked 
down  by  a  cart,  and  the  tree  sold  piece  by  piece  to  tourists,  many  of 
whom  have  doubtless  had  palmed  upon  them  sprigs  of  other  bushes 
as  relics  of  the  renowned  tree.  Though  it  is  evident  that  the  scenes 
of  Goldsmith's  early  life  at  Lissoy  became  the  sources  from  whence  he 
drew  the  picture  of 

"  Sweet  Auburn  !    loveliest  village  of  the  plain, 

Where  health  and  plenty  cheer'd  the  laboring  swain  ; 
Where  smiling  Spring  its  earliest  visits  paid, 
And  parting  Summer's  lingering  blooms  delayed," 

it  is  equally  certain  that  his  picture  of  "  The  Deserted  Village "  is 
sufficiently  general  in  character  to  apply  with  equal  accuracy  to  many 
places  in  England. 

The  upper  Shannon,  or  that  part  of  the  river  which  lies  north  of 
Athlone,  is  not  generally  visited  by  tourists  ;  yet  it  presents  many  scenes 
that  are  really  beautiful.  About  a  mile  and  a  half  above  the  town  the 
river's  banks  recede  where  its  waters  emerge  from  another  lake,  but  a 
somewhat  smaller  one  than  that  through  which  we  had  already  passed. 
Lough  Ree,  (formerly  called  Lough  Ribh,  and  sometimes  Great  Lough 
Allen)  is  17  miles  long  and  in  no  part  more  than  7  in  width,  and 
situated  in  the  counties  of  Roscommon,  Longford,  and  Westmeath.  It 
contains  many  pleasant  wooded  promontories,  bays,  and  creeks ;  and  its 
islands,  though  not  numerous,  are,  some  of  them,  very  beautiful,  and 
nearly  all  possess  some  ruins  of  ancient  ecclesiastical  edifices.  The 
principal  are  Inchcleraun,  Saints'  Island,  Inch  Turk,  Inchmore,  and  Hare 
Island,  "  the  latter  a  perfect  gem  of  woodland  scenery,  aided  by  art  in 
the  shape  of  a  lodge  belonging  to  Lord  Castlemaine,  who  occasionally 
resides  here."  The  waters  of  this  lake  appear  to  have  been  navigated 
at  a  very  early  date,  for  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  record 
"  The  shipwreck  of  Dealbhna-Nuadhat  on  Lough  Ribh,  with  their  Lord 
Duimasach,    of   which    it    is    said,    '  Thrice    nine   vessels   and   three  of 

*  The  name  of  the  public  house,  called  "  The  Pigeons "  in  the  time  of  Goldsmith,  does  not  occur  in 
xhe  poem  of  "The  Deserted  Village";  but  "The  Three  Pigeons"  is  the  name  given  to  the  inn  in  which 
Tony  Lumpkin  plays  his  pranks,  and  where  he  misleads  the  hero  of  the  comedy  "  She  Stoops  to  Conquer," 
into  mistaking  the  mansion  of  Squire  Hardcastle  for  a  tavern.  There  is  little  doubt  that  such  an  incident 
did  actually  happen  to  the  poet  himself  ;  and  that  many  other  of  his  early  adventures  were  subsequently 
introduced  into  his  fictitious  narratives 


222 


THE  MIDDLE  AND   UPPER  SHANNON. 


Gamhawraighe  of  Lough  Ribh,  there  escaped  of  them  with  life,  except 
alone  the  crew  of  one  vessel.' "  And  the  same  source  informs  us  that 
in  1 137  the  lake  possessed  a  fleet  of  130  vessels.  It  is  rarely  that 
the  Shannon  lakes  are  frozen  over  ;  the  Annals,  however,  mention 
a  memorable  instance,  in  1 1 56,  in  the  reign  of  Roderick  O'Connor, 
monarch  of  Ireland,  when  "  there  occurred  a  great  fall  of  snow  and  a 
frost  in  the  winter  of  this  year,  so  that  the  lakes  and  rivers  of  Ireland 
were  frozen  over.  The  frost  was  so  great  that  Roderick  O'Connor  was 
enabled  to  have  his  ships  and  boats  carried  on  the  ice  from  Blein 
Gaille  to  Rinn-Duin."  St.  John's,  or  Randown  Castle  {Rinn-Duin,  "  the 
point  of  the  fort "),  occupies  a  promontory  on  the  western  shore  of  the 
lake.  "  It  is,"  says  Mr.  Weld,  "  built  in  the  form  of  a  P,  the  tail  of 
the  letter  being  short  in  proportion,  and  occupied  by  a  spacious  apartment 
for  banqueting  or  assembly.  The  keep,  as  beheld  both  from  the  land 
side  and  from  the  lake,  presents  a  very  imposing  mass,  its  outer  walls 
being  entire,  and  its  great  tower  rising  to  a  very  considerable  elevation  ; 
but  the  edifice  on  the  land  side  appears  almost  shapeless,  owing  to  the 
extraordinary  luxuriance  of  ivy  with  which  it  is  overrun,  originating  from 
two  vast  platted  stems  which  spring  up  over  the  base  of  the  walls,  just 
over  the  long  fosse."  A  wall,  1692  feet  long,  carried  right  across  the 
peninsula  on  which  the  fortress  stands,  originally  defended  it. 

The  town  of  Roscommon,  situated  about  eight  miles  to  the  west  of 
the  lake,  possesses  nothing  of  interest,  except  its  ancient  monastery  and 
its  castle.  The  latter,  built  in  1268  by  John  D'Ufford,  presents  an 
imposing  appearance  on  the  side  of  a  hill,  and  is,  for  its  extent,  one 
of  the  finest  castles  in  the  kingdom  ;  and,  according  to  tradition,  was 
in  good  preservation  up  to  a  later  date  than  most  fortresses,  having 
been  inhabited  as  late  as  the  battle  of  Aughrim,  when  it  was  set  fire  to 
by  the  fugitive  Irish.  The  town  formerly  returned  two  members  to  the 
Irish  Parliament. 

At  the  upper  end  of  Lough  Ree,  at  Lanesborough,  we  once  more 
met  the  Shannon  in  the  river  form,  crossed  by  a  fine  bridge  of  six 
arches  and  a  swivel  arch.  Proceeding  northward  from  this  point  for 
about  half  a  dozen  miles,  through  a  boggy  and  uninteresting  country, 
and  passing  on  the  way  Termonbarry,  where  the  Shannon  is  joined  by 
the  Royal  Canal,  on  which  the  products  of  this  part  of   Ireland  were 


THE  SOURCE  OF  THE  SHAXXOX. 


•223 


mainly  conveyed  to  the  capital  in  ante-railroad  days,  we  reached  another 
but  much  smaller  expansion  of  the  river,  of  somewhat  triangular  form, 
known  as  Lough  Forbes.  Here  are  seen  the  seven  churches  of  Kilbarry, 
once,  like  those  of  Clonmacnoise,  famous  as  seats  of  learning  and  piety  ; 
but,  like  them,  now  masses  of  ruins  that  have  even  been  subject  to 
greater  despoliation.  Their  establishment  is  attributed  to  St.  Barry,  who 
flourished  in  the  sixth  century  ;  and  a  night  passed  in  the  walls  of  one 
of  the  three  churches,  of  which,  along  with  the  foundations  of  a  Round 
Tower,  there  are  still  some  remains,  is  believed  to  be  a  certain  cure 
for  mental  and  physical  maladies. 

Though  the  distance  from  Lough  Forbes  to  Carrick-on-Shannon  is 
in  a  direct  line  not  more  than  ten  or  a  dozen  miles,  the  course  of  the 
river  between  these  points  is  so  very  circuitous  that  on  traversing  the 
stream  we  found  the  distance  greatly  increased.  The  only  part  worthy 
of  mention  is  about  midway,  where  the  Shannon  expands  and  forms 
Lough  Boderg,  or  the  Lake  ot  the  Red  Cow.  in  shape  resembling 
the  letter  T,  the  river  flowing  through  the  horizontal  portion.  Carrick 
is  the  assize  town  of  the  County  Leitrim,  and  formerly  returned  two 
members  to  the  Irish  Parliament  ;  but  it  possesses  few  features  of 
interest  to  the  tourist.  The  Sligo  branch  of  the  Midland  Great  Western 
Railway  passes  through  it  ;  but  leaving  our  visit  to  that  town  lor  a 
future  route,  we  now  determined  to  quit  the  Shannon  and  turn  our 
steps  towards  the  Irish  capital.  However,  before  passing  from  this  noble 
stream,  the  reader  will  naturally  desire  to  know  something  about  its 
source. 

The  actual  head  waters  of  the  Shannon,  we  are  told,  are  those  of 
the  Owenmore,  a  fine  river  with  numerous  confluents  which  flows  into 
the  head  of  Lough  Allen.  The  traditionary  source  is  a  tributary  stream 
which  takes  its  rise  in  a  limestone  cauldron,  the  "  Shannon  Pot,"  from 
which  the  water  rises  in  a  copious  fountain.  The  real  source  of  the 
river,  however,  is  in  a  little  lough  situated  about  a  mile  from  this 
"  Shannon  Pot,"  which  receives  considerable  drainage  from  the  ground 
surrounding  it,  and  has  no  visible  outlet  ;  but  it  has  been  discovered 
that  the  waters  from  the  little  lough  flow  into  a  subterranean  channel, 
and  re-appear  in  the  so-called  "  Source  of  the  Shannon."  The  stream 
thus  started,  after  winding  its  way  through  the  valley  and  collecting  its 


224  THE  MIDDLE  AND   UPPER  SHANNON. 

tributary  branches,  falls  into  Lough  Allen,  about  nine  miles  south  of  its 
source,  having  in  this  short  course  swelled  to  a  considerable  river  from 
fifty  to  sixty  yards  wide,  varying  in  depth  from  five  to  ten  feet.  Lough 
Allen  is  about  ten  miles  long,  and  is  deeply  imbedded  in  lofty  hills, 
which  contain  rich  and  copious  stores  of  iron  and  coal.  Out  of  that 
lough  the  river  flows  in  a  narrow  and  rather  shallow  and  impeded 
channel  for  some  half  a  dozen  miles.  The  navigation,  however,  is  carried 
on  by  a  lateral  canal,  which  enters  the  river  about  three  miles  above 
Carrick,  at  Leitrim,  where  the  Erne  and  Shannon  Canal  also  joins  the 
river. 

Between  the  head  of  Lough  Allen  and  the  ocean,  thanks  to  the 
improvements  of  the  Shannon  Commissioners,  that  river  now  possesses, 
with  the  assistance  of  its  lateral  canals,  254  miles  of  continuous  navi- 
gation, and  washes  the  shores  of  ten  counties,  viz.  :  Leitrim,  Roscommon, 
Longford,  Westmeath,  King's,  Galway,  Tipperary,  Clare,  Limerick,  and 
Kerry.  "  Rising,"  says  Kane,  "  in  one  coal  formation,  emptying  itself 
through  another,  and  washing  the  banks  of  our  most  fertile  counties,  it 
delivers  into  the  sea  the  rain  collected  from  an  area  embracing  3613 
square  miles  of  country  north  of  Killaloe."  It  has  been  remarked  that 
on  the  whole  face  of  the  globe  probably  no  river  exists  of  so  large  a 
size  in  proportion  to  that  of  the  island  through  which  it  flows  ;  and 
we  may  add  that  there  is  scarcely  one  whose  story  is  more  closely 
entwined  with  its  nation's  history.    Of  it,  writes  Sir  Aubrey  de  Vere — 

"  River  of  billows,  to  whose  mighty  heart 
The  tide-wave  rushes  of  the  Atlantic  sea  ; 
River  of  quiet  depths,  by  cultured  lea, 
Romantic  wood,  or  city's  crowded  mart  ; 
River  of  old  poetic  founts,  which  start 
From  their  lone  mountain-cradles,  wild  and  free  ; 
Nursed  with  the  fawns,  lulled  by  the  woodlark's  glee, 
And  cushat's  hymeneal  song  apart  ; 
River  of  chieftains,  whose  baronial  halls, 
Like  veteran  warders,  watch  each  wave-worn  steep, 
Portumna's  towers,  Bunratty's  royal  walls, 
Carrick's  stern  rock,  the  Geraldine's  gray  keep, — 
River  of  dark  mementoes !  must  I  close 
My  lips  with  Limerick's  wrong,  with  Aughrim's  woes?" 


LONGFORD  AND  EDGE  WOR  THSTO  WN. 


225 


CHAPTER  XI. 

FROM  THE  SHANNON  TO  THE  METROPOLIS. 

Longford — Edgeworthstown  and  the  Edgeworths — Multifarnham  and  its  Abbey — Lough  Ouel — 
Mullingar — Lough  Ennel — Bog  of  Allen — Ancient  Seminary  of  Clonard — Dangan  Castle 
and  the  Wellesleys — Hill  and  Castle  of  Car  bury — Maynooth  Castle  and  College — Approach 
to  Dublin. 

THE  railway  from  Carrick  to  Dublin  runs  for  the  first  dozen  miles 
or  more  down  the  valley  up  which  we  had  come,  and  not  only 
gave  us  occasional  glimpses  of  the  Shannon,  but  compelled  us  to  cross 
it  twice  at  a  point  where  the  stream  is  circuitous  ;  and  then,  parting 
company  with  the  river,  it  carried  us  out  of  the  county  of  Leitrim  in 
Connaught  into  that  of  Longford  in  Leinster.  The  first  place  of 
importance  that  we  reached  was  the  town  of  Longford,  twenty-one  miles 
from  Carrick,  formerly  possessing  a  castle  and  priory,  and  now  a  hand- 
some Roman  Catholic  cathedral*  with  lofty  tower,  which  consumed 
twenty  years  in  its  erection. 

Passing  for  nine  miles  through  a  flat  and  boggy  country  we  next 
came  upon  the  village  of  Edgeworthstown,  a  name  familiar  to  every  lover 
of  pure  literature.  The  family  whose  name  it  bears  have  resided  here 
since  1583,  when  one  of  its  members  became  bishop  of  Down  and  Connor; 
and  successive  generations  have  interested  themselves  in  the  improvement 
of  the  social  condition  of  the  Irish  people,  and  none  more  practically 
so  than  the  father  of  the  talented  Maria   Edgeworth,  whose  charming 

*  Longford  is  the  residence  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Bishop  of  Ardagh,  whose  ruined  ecclesiastical  edifice 
lies  a  few  miles  to  the  southeast  The  see  is  one  of  the  earliest  established  in  Ireland,  and  is  said  to 
have  been  founded  by  St.  Patrick,  who  appointed  his  nephew,  St.  Mell,  or  Mael,  first  bishop  in  454.  In 
the  Protestant  Church,  Ardagh  was  united  to  Kilmore  in  1660,  but  separated  from  it  and  united  to  Tuam 
in  1742 ;  however,  in  1839  it  was  severed  from  Tuam  and  re-united  to  Kilmore ;  and  Kilmore,  Elphin, 
and  Ardagh  were  constituted  one  bishopric,  with  the  Episcopal  residence  at  Kilmore,  three  miles  from  Cavan. 
In  the  Roman  Church  these  latter  constitute  three  distinct  sees,  the  Bishop  of  Kilmore  residing  at  Cavan, 
and  the  Bishop  of  Elphin  at  Sligo. 
89 


226 


FROM  THE  SHANNON  TO  THE  METROPOLIS. 


writings  after  more  than  half  a  century  held  a  high  place  in  English 
literature.  Four  miles  after  leaving  this  village  we  entered  the  county 
of  Westmeath,  and  shortly  afterwards  passed  the  junction  for  Cavan, 
which  lies  25  miles  to  the  north  ;  and  then  a  few  miles  further  on 
drew  up  at  Multifarnham,  where  there  is  a  Franciscan  monastery  with 
a  slender  square  steeple,  90  feet  in  height.  This  house  was  founded 
in  1236,  and  is  remarkable  for  having  maintained  its  early  splendor  later 
than  any  other  establishment ;  for,  says  Lewis,  "  although  formally  dissolved 
by  Henry  VIII.,  those  to  whom  it  was  granted  did  not  dispossess  the 
monks,  who,  in  1622,  even  attempted  the  formation  of  a  branch  of  their 
society  at  Mullingar."  The  civil  war  of  1641  is  said  to  have  derived 
much  support  from  plans  which  were  originated  here,  and  led  to  the 
friars  being  driven  away.  A  body  of  Franciscans,  however,  returned  in 
1823,  and  some  still  reside  in  the  precincts  of  the  church.  A  couple 
of  miles  northeast  of  this  village,  but  out  of  our  line  of  travel,  is  Lough 
Deveragh,  six  miles  in  length,  the  shores  of  which  are  boggy  and  tame 
at  one  end,  but  mountainous  and  studded  with  many  pleasing  mansions 
at  the  other. 

Shortly  after  leaving  Multifarnham  the  railway  skirts  the  margin  of 
Lough  Ouel,  and  we  passed  along  its  entire  length  of  five  miles,  to 
within  about  a  couple  of  miles  of  Mullingar.  The  lake  is  a  little  over 
a  mile  in  breadth,  and  its  area  is  2295  acres.  It  is  329  feet  above 
the  sea,  and  forms  the  summit  level  supply  of  the  Royal  Canal.  It 
boasts,  it  is  true,  none  of  the  sublime  characteristics  of  Killarney,  the 
wild  magnificence  of  the  mountain  lakes  of  Connemara,  or  the  solitary 
grandeur  of  Gougane  Barra  ;  yet  it  is  excelled  by  none  in  the  softer 
traits  of  pastoral  beauty,  and  in  the  many  charms  of  richly  cultivated  hills 
and  verdant  lawns  that  slope  gently  to  its  margin.  It  is  a  favorite  resort 
of  the  Waltonian,  who  at  the  period  of  the  May-fly  can  draw  from  its 
waters  trout  varying  in  weight  from  one  to  ten  pounds. 

At  Mullingar,  situated  28  miles  east  of  Athlone  and  50  west  of 
Dublin,  we  came  upon  the  trunk  line  of  the  Midland  Great  Western 
Railway,  traversing  "  that  uninterrupted  plain  which  extends  across  the 
island  from  east  to  west  for  126  miles,  from  the  Irish  Sea  to  the 
Atlantic  Ocean."  Mullingar,  the  assize  town  of  Westmeath,  and  now 
mainly  noted  for  its  extensive  annual  horse  fair,  and  as  being  one  of 


THE  GREAT  BOG  OF  ALLEN. 


227 


the  principal  military  depots  in  the  country,  is  pleasantly  situated  on 
the  Brosna,  which  in  English  signifies  "  a  bundle  of  fire-wood."  It 
was  long  an  important  station  on  the  Royal  Canal,  over  which  passengers 
were  formerly  carried  at  the  rate  of  four  miles  an  hour,  and  near  to 
whose  banks  we  traveled  for  the  remainder  of  our  journey  to  the  Irish 
Metropolis.  Though,  like  Longford,  Mullingar  now  possesses  no  archaeo- 
logical remains,  it,  too,  could  once  boast  of  religious  establishments, 
among  which  may  be  named  the  Augustinian  Priory  of  St.  Mary, 
founded  in  1227,  a  Dominican  establishment,  and  a  castle.  Lovers  of 
the  gentle  art,  attracted  by  its  neighboring  lakes,  generally  make  the 
town  their  headquarters.  Lough  Ennel,  or,  as  it  is  now  called,  Belvidere 
Lake,  from  an  adjoining  estate,  lies  about  the  same  distance  south  of 
the  town  that  Lough  Ouel  does  to  the  north.  It  is  somewhat  larger 
than  the  latter,  and  its  scenery  partakes  of  a  similar  pastoral  character. 
Its  eastern  shore,  adorned  with  gentlemen's  residences,  has  a  rich,  park- 
like appearance  ;  and  the  numerous  woody  islands  that  are  scattered 
over  its  surface  add  considerably  to  the  beauty  of  the  picture. 

The  first  half  of  the  ride  between  Mullingar  and  Dublin  is  dreary 
in  the  extreme,  as  in  its  course  the  railway  passes  over  the  northern 
portion  of  the  great  bog  of  Allen.  This  immense  bog,  or  rather  series 
of  bogs  which  form  the  great  central  plain  of  Ireland,  stretches  from 
the  borders  of  the  county  of  Dublin,  across  the  county  of  Kildare  and 
King's  county,  as  far  as  the  Shannon,  and  even  beyond  it  westward  into 
the  counties  of  Galway  and  Roscommon  ;  spreading  laterally  through  the 
counties  of  Meath  and  Westmeath  to  the  north,  and  through  Queen's 
county  and  the  county  of  Tipperary  to  the  south.  It  has  been  computed 
that  it  formerly  contained  1,000,000  acres,  but  by  means  of  cultivation 
and  drainage  it  is  now  diminished  to  one  fourth  of  that  area,  and  it  is 
not  improbable  that  in  course  of  time  nearly  the  whole  of  the  immense 
and  dreary  tract  will  be  reclaimed.  Although  the  bogs  of  Ireland  in 
their  natural  state  are  unprofitable  to  the  agriculturist,  they  are  not 
without  their  advantages  to  the  poor  peasantry,  who  derive  from  them 
their  fuel  ;  consequently  those  dingy  and  barren  wastes  covered  with 
patches  of  coarse  grass  and  brown  heath,  suggesting  to  the  mind  only 
feelings  of  desolation,  contain  within  their  dark  bosoms  the  cheerful  peat 
that  bestows  warmth  and  light  to  the  cotter's  humble  hearth. 


228 


FROM  THE  SHANNON  TO  THE  METROPOLIS. 


About  17  miles  from  Mullingar,  and  shortly  after  entering  the  county 
of  Meath,  the  railway  crosses  the  historic  Boyne  (of  which  we  shall 
have  much  to  say  in  a  future  chapter),  but  at  an  early  part  of  its 
course  where  it  has  few  picturesque  features  to  present  to  the  tourist. 
We  here  passed  within  view  of  Clonard,  the  site  of  a  seminary,  where, 
as  far  back  as  the  days  of  Alfred,  young  Saxons  flocked  in  hundreds 
to  be  educated.  Clonard  (Cluain  Ioraird,  the  Retirement  on  the 
Western  Height),  was  in  its  day  the  most  famous  bishopric*  in  Meath, 
the  first  bishop,  in  520,  being  St.  Finian,  one  of  the  immediate  successors 
of  St.  Patrick.  It  was  also  the  great  Irish  centre  of  learning,  and  its 
world-famed  college  numbered  3000  students,  with  among  them  St.  Kieran, 
St.  Columb,  and  many  other  illustrious  saints.  Of  its  edifices,  which 
consisted  of  abbeys,  chapels,  Round  Towers,  etc.,  absolutely  no  traces  are 
left,  though  some  existed  at  the  commencement  of  the  present  century. 

Within  a  few  miles  north  and  south  of  Enfield,  a  station  almost 
midway  between  Mullingar  and  Dublin,  are  two  places  that  are  closely 
woven  in  with  the  history  of  that  great  Irish  soldier,  the  victor  of 
Waterloo.  About  half  a  dozen  miles  north  of  the  line  is  the  place 
where  once  stood  Dangan  Castle  (represented  on  the  title-page  of 
this  volume),  the  seat  of  the  Earl  of  Mornington,  father  of  the  celebrated 
Marquis  of  Wellesley  and  of  the  Great  Duke  of  Wellington.  Here  the 
latter  spent  some  of  his  early  days,  but  he  was  not  born  at  Dangan, 
as  some  of  his  biographers  have  erroneously  stated,  the  honor  of  his 
birthplace  being  now  attributed  to  a  house  in  Upper  Merrion  Street, 
Dublin.  The  general  effect  of  the  once  noble  edifice  must  have  been 
exceedingly  beautiful  when  viewed  in  its  perfect  state,  with  its  battlements 
and  turrets  emerging  from  the  crowding  woods.  But,  unfortunately,  the 
demesne  and  castle  passed  from  their  original  possessors  into  the  hands 
of  strangers,  who  added  a  modern  mansion  built  in  the  Italian  style. 
The  buildings  were,  however,  many  years  ago  destroyed  by  fire  ;  and,  at 
the  time  our  sketch  was  taken,  all  that  remained  of  the  stately  edifice 
was  a  naked  and  desolate  shell,  and  even  these  venerable  relics  of  its 
former  grandeur  have  now  almost  disappeared,  and  but  little  remains  to 
mark  the  early  home  of  the  illustrious  warrior.    The  noble  woods,  too, 

*  The  diocese  of  Clonard  was  merged,  in  1 1 74,  with  several  other  minor  sees  in  the  diocese  of  Meath,  and 
the  seat  was  transferred  from  Clonard  to  Newtown  Trim,  in  1206,  by  Simon  de  Rochefort. 


THE  HILL  ANL>  CASTLE  OF  CARBURY. 


229 


which  adorned  the  demesne,  have  shared  in  the  general  destruction  ; 
and  all  the  giants  of  the  sylvan  scene  have  been  prostrated  by  the 
ruthless  axe.  How  different  was  the  appearance  it  presented  when  Mr. 
Trotter  visited  it  in  1814!  "From  every  part  of  the  adjacent  country," 
he  writes,  "  the  woods,  and  frequently  the  Castle  of  Dangan,  were  visible. 
We  continued  to  walk  on  magic  ground  : — the  varied  landscapes  of  a 
fine  corn  country,  always  terminated  by  the  widely  extended  woods  of 
Dangan,  could  not  but  please."  Yet  even  at  that  time  decay  and  neglect 
had  begun  to  do  their  work  upon  the  place,  for  he  also  remarks,  that 
"  the  improvements  and  lakes  which  once  highly  adorned  the  demesne 
are  lost  through  neglect,  and  the  fine  gardens  are  uncultivated." 

A  car  drive  of  half  a  dozen  miles  to  the  south  of  Enfield  took  us 
to  the  Hill  of  Carbury,  in  the  county  of  Kildare.  It  is  471  feet  in 
height,  and  has  on  its  summit  the  ruins  of  an  ancient  castle,  whose 
predecessor  was  erected  by  the  Berminghams,  one  of  the  earliest  English 
settlers  within  the  Pale.  In  the  fifteenth  century  the  fortress  suffered 
many  severe  attacks,  and  was  more  than  once  demolished  and  burnt. 
The  property  eventually  passed,  in  1548,  into  the  hands  of  the  Colleys, 
or  Cowleys  ;  and,  in  1728,  their  descendant,  Richard  Colley,  who, 
O'Connell  said,  "  used  to  be  picking  potatoes  after  the  crows  in  the 
county  of  Meath,"  succeeded  to  the  estates  of  his  cousin,  Garrett 
Wesley,  Esq.,  of  Dangan,  assumed  the  name  and  arms  of  Wesley,  or 
Wellesley,  and  was  elevated  to  the  peerage  of  Ireland,  in  1746,  by  the 
title  of  Baron  Mornington.  His  son  was  raised  to  the  dignities  of 
Viscount  Wellesley  of  Dangan  Castle,  and  Earl  of  Mornington,  and 
became  the  father  of  the  two  distinguished  men  of  whom  we  have  but 
just  written.  The  peculiar  features  of  the  old  manorial  building  are 
its  pointed  gable,  graceful  chimneys,  and  mullioned  windows.  From  the 
summit  of  the  hill,  on  which  also  stand  some  pagan  remains  and  a 
ruined  church,  to  quote  the  language  of  Sir  William  R.  Wilde,  "  we 
gain  a  most  commanding  and  extensive  prospect,  extending  over  the 
counties  of  Dublin,  Kildare,  Meath,  Carlow,  Westmeath,  King's,  and 
Queen's  counties,  with  the  hills  of  Allen,  Carrick,  Balrennet,  Edenderry, 
and  Croghan,  standing  up  like  so  many  acropoles  amidst  the  deep 
pasture  and  meadow  lands  rich  beyond  description,  and  diversified  by 
green    hedgerows    and    occasional    plantations,    which    stretch    along  the 


230 


FROM  THE  SHANNON  TO  THE  METROPOLIS. 


Boyne  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach  ;  with  the  ruins  of  some  of  the 
ancient  castles  of  the  Anglo-Normans  bursting  through  the  surrounding 
foliage."  The  Boyne  is  said  to  rise  at  Trinity  Well,*  two  or  three  miles 
from  here,  but,  according  to  the  writer  just  quoted,  its  true  source  is  a 
small  stream  which  empties  itself  into  it,  and  rises  in  an  adjoining  bog 
or  marshy  ground  to  the  north,  a  branch  of  the  great  bog  of  Allen. 

Resuming  our  railway  journey  at  Enfield,  a  ride  of  a  dozen  miles 
carried  us  from  the  dreary,  flat,  and  boggy  district,  which  had  lined  our 
route  from  Mullingar,  into  the  more  picturesque  and  wooded  region  of 
northern  Kildare,  and  landed  us  at  Maynooth,  whose  college  has  for 
years  been  prominent  in  the  political  and  ecclesiastical  history  of  the 
kingdom.  Conspicuous  in  the  landscape  are  the  ruins  of  the  ancient 
castle,  once  a  principal  fortress  of  the  bold  GeralHines,  ancestors  of  the 
present  Duke  of  Leinster.  It  is  reputed  to  have  been  founded,  in  1426, 
by  the  sixth  Earl  of  Kildare  ;  but  there  is  every  reason  to  believe  that 
the  castle  then  raised  covered  the  site  of  some  preceding  structure. f 
During  the    rebellion    of   Lord    Thomas   Fitz-Gerald,   (known  as  Silken 

*  The  Boyne  is  said  to  have  obtained  its  name  from  Boan,  the  queen  of  a  celebrated  poet  and  King  of 
Leinster  in  the  first  century,  called  Nechtain,  or  Nuadha-Neacht.  The  well,  considered  by  some  to  be  the 
river's  source,  was  in  that  monarch's  garden,  and  possessed,  among  other  miraculous  properties,  the  power  of 
instantly  bursting  the  eyes  and  destroying  the  sight  of  all  those  who  approached  it,  except  the  King  and  his 
three  cup-bearers.  Boan,  impelled  by  female  curiosity,  determined  to  test  the  mystical  powers  of  its  waters,  and 
so  arrogantly  approached  and  defied  it  to  mar  her  beauty,  passing  three  times  round  it  to  the  left  in  accor- 
dance with  the  practice  of  incantations.  Upon  the  completion  of  the  third  round  the  charm  was  broken,  the 
spring  rose,  and  three  enormous  waves  burst  over  the  hapless  lady,  mutilating  her  and  breaking  one  of  her  eyes. 
To  hide  her  deformity  she  at  once  fled  towards  the  sea,  followed  by  the  waters  now  loosened  from  their  source, 
and  in  time  reached  the  Imbher,  or  present  mouth  of  the  river.  Dabella,  her  lap  dog,  it  is  said,  shared  her 
fate,  and  was  swept  by  the  rushing  stream  into  the  sea,  where  it  was  transformed  into  the  rocks,  since  called 
Da  Billian,  situated  at  the  river's  mouth.  Notwithstanding  this  overwhelming  of  Boan,  her  monument  is 
recorded  to  have  been  raised  in  the  great  royal  cemetery  of  Brugh  na  Boinne,  of  which  we  shall  have  some- 
thing to  say  in  the  next  volume.  Without  giving  credence  to  this  legend,  it  appears  almost  certain  that  the 
name  of  the  river  was  really  derived  from  that  of  an  Irish  princess  named  Boinn,  Boann,  or  Boan  ;  and  it  is 
an  undoubted  fact  that  it  possesses  some  medicinal  properties. 

\  A  potent  reason  for  supposing  that  the  castle  was  preceded  by  some  other  defensive  structure,  is  found 
in  the  positive  knowledge  that  the  Kildare  branch  of  the  Geraldines  resided  at  Maynooth  before  the  fifteenth 
century.  The  first  Earl  of  Kildare,  John  Fitz-Thomas,  created  in  1316,  was  at  variance  with  William  De 
Vescy,  Lord  of  Kildare  and  Lord-justice  of  Ireland  in  1291,  which  led  to  their  both  appealing  to  the  King, 
and  to  the  former  challenging  the  latter  to  single  combat  or  ordeal  by  battle.  Although  De  Vescy  accepted 
the  ordeal,  and  a  day  was  appointed  for  its  decision,  he  fled  to  France  ;  whereupon  the  King  bestowed  his 
lordship  and  manors  upon  his  rival,  saying,  "  that  although  he  had  conveyed  hts  person  into  France,  he  had 
left  his  lands  behind  him  in  Ireland." 


MAYXOOTH  CASTLE  AND  COLLEGE. 


231 


Thomas,  from  the  magnificence  of  his  attire,  and  the  housings  of  his 
retainers  being  embroidered  with  silk),  it  was  treacherously  surrendered 
by  its  governor,  Christopher  Parese,  a  foster-brother  of  the  Geraldine, 
who,  expecting  further  reward  in  addition  to  the  price  of  his  treason, 
was  asked  what  favors  he  had  received  from  Sir  Thomas.  Hoping 
thereby  to  advance  his  claims,  he  recounted  the  many  favors  he  had 
received,  upon  which  the  deputy  remarked  :  "  How,  Parese,  coulds't  thou 
find  it  in  thy  heart  to  betray  the  castle  of  so  kind  a  lord  ?  Here, 
Mr.  Treasurer,  pay  down  the  money  he  has  covenanted  for ;  and  here, 
also,  Executioner,  without  delay,  as  soon  as  the  money  is  counted  out, 
chop  off  his  head."  The  ruins,  consisting  of  a  massive  keep  and  extensive 
outworks,  are  maintained  in  good  order  by  the  Duke  of  Leinster.  whose 
handsome  seat,  called  Carton,  with  its  beautiful  grounds,  adjoin  the  town 
and  lie  between  it  and  Leixlip. 

Xot  far  from  the  castle  is  the  celebrated  College  of  Mavnooth, 
established  in  1 795.  A  previous  college,  however,  was  founded  here  in 
15 13  by  Gerald,  eighth  Earl  of  Kildare,  who  endowed  it  with  lands 
surrounding  the  Round  Tower  of  Taghadoe,  a  few  miles  distant.  The 
present  institution  resulted  from  the  inability  to  transport  students  to 
and  from  foreign  colleges,  owing  to  the  French  wars.  It  was  founded  for 
the  exclusive  education  of  fifty  Roman  Catholic  ecclesiastics  by  the  Irish 
Parliament  without  a  dissentient  voice,  and  annually  endowed  with  about 
^8000.  After  the  union,  this  sum  with  additions,  raising  it  to  nearly 
^9000,  was  annually  continued  for  its  maintenance  by  the  Imperial 
Parliament  until  1845.  The  latter  also  made  a  specific  grant,  in  1807, 
of  /5000  for  the  enlargement  of  the  buildings,  to  which  purpose  many 
other  donations  and  bequests  were  applied.  The  students  increased  with 
the  enlarged  accommodation,  so  that  in  course  of  time  their  numbers 
gradually  rose  to  over  400.  By  an  act  passed  in  1845  tne  college  was 
permanently  endowed  for  the  maintenance  and  education  of  500  students, 
and  of  20  senior  scholars  on  the  foundation  bv  Lord  Dunbovne  ;  and 
in  addition  to  a  special  grant  of  ^o.ooo  for  the  erection  of  necessary 
buildings,  the  annual  endowment  was  increased  to  £26.2,60.  By  the  Irish 
Church  Act  of  1869  this  annual  payment,  which  has  often  been  a  bone 
of  contention  in  British  politics,  was  commuted  to  a  capital  sum  equal 
to  14  years'  purchase,  amounting  to   /"369,04c),  which,  with  the  help  of 


232 


FROM  THE  SHANNON  TO  THE  METROPOLIS. 


private  bequests,  enables  this  institution  to  continue  to  educate  the  same 
number  of  students  as  before.  The  course  of  study  requires  eight  years 
for  its  completion,  and  no  student  is  admitted  except  intended  for  the 
Irish  priesthood.  Of  the  present  Roman  Catholic  clergy  of  Ireland 
about  one  half  have  been  educated  at  this  college.  The  earlier  collegiate 
buildings  were  unsightly  and  inconvenient,  having  been,  in  fact,  merely 
additions,  made  from  time  to  time,  to  a  house  built  by  Lord  Leinster's 
butler.  These  eventually  gave  way  to  the  present  structure,  consisting 
of  a  quadrangle  340  by  300  feet,  from  the  designs  of  Mr.  Pugin,  in  his 
peculiar  Gothic  style.  The  southern  and  western  portions  of  the  edifice 
were  unfortunately,  on  November  first,  1878,  destroyed  by  fire,  caused  by 
overheating,  and  the  library  narrowly  escaped  demolition. 

From  Maynooth  we  hurried  on  to  the  metropolis,  the  train  at  the 
end  of  the  first  four  miles  passing  Leixlip,  whose  Salmon  Leap  we 
visited  in  our  survey  of  the  environs  of  Dublin.  We  next  crossed  the 
valley  of  the  Rye,  a  tributary  of  the  Liffey,  by  a  viaduct,  entered  the 
county  of  Dublin,  and  traveled  half  a  score  miles  with  the  latter  river 
on  our  immediate  right  and  the  Dublin  and  Wicklow  Mountains  beyond  ; 
and  then,  after  passing  through  some  of  its  pleasantest  suburbs,  and 
skirting  the  Phcenix  Park,  we  entered  the  city  at  the  Broadstone  Railway 
Station. 

END  OF  VOLUME  I. 


THE  LAND  OF  EIRE. 


Part  I II.— DESCRIPTIVE  and  HISTORICAL. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN. 

Ancient  Divisions  of  Ireland — Situation  of  the  Metropolis — Origin  of  its  name  and  important 
events  in  its  history — Population  and  Social  Classification — Castle  of  Dublin,  its  history  and 
past  and  present  uses — Cathedral  of  St.  Patrick,  its  erection  and  restoration — Notable  monu- 
ments and  choral  music — The  story  of  "Stella  " — Christ  Church  Cathedral  and  its  restoration — 
Monument  to  Strongbow — Lord  Portlester's  Chapel — St.  Michaels  Church  and  its  antiseptic- 
vaults — Modern  Protestant  churches — Roman  Catholic  edifices — Trinity  College — College 
Green  and  its  statues — Bank  of  Ireland — Old  Parliament  House — Theatres — Royal  Dublin 
Society — Stephen  s  Green — Exhibition  Palace — International  Exhibitions. 

THE  plain  which  stretches  across  Ireland  from  the  mouth  of  the  Liffey 
to  the  Bay  of  Galway  severs  the  island  into  two  almost  equal  parts. 
It  was  indeed  anciently  considered  the  centre  of  the  country,  for  when 
Conn  of  the  Hundred  Battles  and  Mowa  Eoghan,  two  of  the  descendants 
of  Milesius,  undertook  to  divide  the  island  between  them,  they  drew  a  line 
from  Dublin  to  Galway,  and  called  the  portion  north  of  that  line  Leah 
Cuin,  and  that  to  the  south  Leah  Mow,  or  the  shores  of  Conn  and  Eoghan 
respectively.  In  the  partition  of  our  work  into  two  volumes  we  have 
adopted  nearly  the  same  line  of  division,  the  exceptions  being  that  we 
have  appended  our  surveys  of  the  Connemara  coast,  visited  on  our  cruise, 
and  of  the  upper  Shannon,  (so  as  not  to  disconnect  our  account  of  that 
stream,)  to  our  description  of  the  southern   portion  of  the  island ;  whilfc 

II.— 30 


2  THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN. 

we  shall  annex  to  the  present  or  second  volume,  devoted  to  the  north  of 
Ireland,  our  account  of  Wicklow  and  some  other  districts  lying  to  the 
south  of  the  city  of  Dublin,  as  they  are  the  most  readily  visited  from 
that  central  point. 

Dublin,  though  the  metropolis  and  the  largest  and  wealthiest  city 
of  Ireland,  from  being  built  on  an  extensive  plain  and  from  possessing 
so  few  lofty  structures,  presents  no  striking  features  when  viewed  from 
its  approaches  either  by  land  or  water  ;  but,  claims  a  local  writer,  "its 
ample  streets  and  spacious  squares — its  magnificent  public  buildings — 
the  Liffey,  with  its  quayed  walls  and  parallel  avenues,  flowing  for  two 
and  a  half  miles  through  its  centre,  purifying  and  refreshing  it  at  every 
ebb  and  flow  of  its  tide — the  beauty  of  its  environs  and  the  fertility 
of  the  country  lying  around  it" — make  ample  amends  for  its  deficiency 
in  picturesque  effects.  It  stands  at  the  head  of  the  beautiful  bay 
bearing  its  name,  and  forming  the  estuary  of  the  Liffey,  in  addition  to 
which  it  is  watered  by  the  small  rivers  Dodder  and  Tolka,  falling  into 
the  bay  respectively  at  Ringsend  and  Clontarf,  and  the  Cammock  into 
the  Liffey  near  the  Royal  Hospital.  It  also  possesses  a  vicinity  of 
which  few  cities  in  the  world  can  boast,  its  southern  outlook  being 
especially  picturesque,  for  there  the  Dublin  Hills,  backed  by  the  Wick- 
low Mountains,  form  striking  features  in  the  landscape,  and  approach 
sufficiently  near  to  constitute  backgrounds  to  many  of  the  street  views. 

Before  entering  upon  a  description  of  the  city,  let  us  take  a  glance 
at  its  ancient  history.  The  earliest  authentic  mention  we  have  of  it  is 
by  Ptolemy,  who  flourished  in  the  second  century  after  Christ,  and  who 
notices  it,  as  a  town  built  on  piles,  and  upon  a  somewhat  muddy 
strata,  under  the  name  of  Eblana.  By  the  ancient  Irish  it  was  called 
Drttm-coll-coil,  i.e.,  "the  Brow  of  the  Hazel-wood;"  as  well  as  Ath-cliath, 
or  "the  Ford  of  the  Hurdles;"  and  Bally-atJi-cliath,  or  "the  Town  of 
the  Ford  of  Hurdles."  Added  to  this,  Stanihurst,  on  the  authority  of 
Giraldus  Cambrensis,  asserts  that  the  present  name  of  the  city  is 
derived  from  Avellanus,  a  Danish  sea-king,  who  at  an  early  period 
established  himself  on  the  spot  where  it  now  stands  ;  and  he  draws 
his  etymological  conclusion  thus  :  Avellana — Eblana — Dublana.  "  But  this 
cannot  be  the  derivation,"  observes  a  writer  in  the  Diiblin  Penny  ^Journal, 
"  for  Ptolemy,  upwards    of  six   hundred  years   before,  gave  it  the  title 


EARLY  HISTORY  AND  DANISH  POSSESSION. 


3 


of  Eblana  Civitas."  After  all,  perhaps,  the  most  simple  and  obvious 
etymology  of  the  name  will  be  found  in  the  Irish  Dubh-linn,  signifying 
"  Black-water,"  by  which  designation  the  ford  upon  the  Liffey  at  this 
place  was  known  to  the  inhabitants. 

According  to  the  annals  of  Dublin,  a  great  battle  was  fought  here 
in  291,  when  the  inhabitants  of  Leinster  were  defeated  by  Fiacha 
Sravtine,  one  of  the  earliest  monarchs  of  Ireland  ;  and  about  448,  St. 
Patrick  converted  the  King  of  Dublin  and  his  subjects  to  Christianity, 
and  founded  the  cathedral  which  bears  his  name. 

We  have  unquestionable  historical  evidence  to  show  that  it  was  the 
Ostmen,  or  Danes,  who  first  fortified  Dublin,  and  who,  in  the  words 
of  Harris  the  historian,  "  rendered  it  fit  for  defence  and  security  soon 
after  they  possessed  it,  which  seems  to  have  been  about  the  year  838." 
It  is  certain  that,  although  these  barbarous  intruders  were  opposed  by 
the  Irish,  they  were  enabled  to  maintain  the  settlement  they  had  made 
in  Dublin  and  the  contiguous  districts  until  the  year  1014,  when  a 
number  of  Irish  chieftains  united  in  a  patriotic  league  under  the 
renowned  monarch,  Brian  Boroimhe,  for  the  purpose  of  extirpating  the 
unwelcome  intruders.  The  Danish  king,  Sitric,  collected  a  large  army 
to  oppose  them,  and  the  adverse  forces  met  at  Clontarf,  near  the  city, 
on  the  23d  of  April,  when  they  waged  one  of  the  most  memorable 
battles  in  which  the  Irish  were  ever  engaged  with  a  foreign  enemy  upon 
their  own  soil.  This  sanguinary  action  terminated  in  the  defeat  of 
the  Danes ;  but  the  brave  Brian  was  slain  in  his  tent  by  a  straggling 
party  of  the  enemy  while  in  the  act  of  returning  thanks  to  heaven 
for  his  victory.  Yet,  though  the  power  of  the  Ostmen  was  much 
reduced  in  Ireland  after  their  defeat  at  Clontarf,  they  still  maintained 
possession  of  Dublin  for  many  succeeding  years.  However,  when  the 
Anglo-Normans  obtained  a  footing  in  the  country,  the  lordship  of  Dublin 
was  bestowed  on  Earl  Strongbow,  after  he  had  become  son-in-law  to 
Dermot  McMurrough,  King  of  Leinster  ;  and  the  city  having  been 
besieged  and  taken  by  him,  September  21st,  11 70,  he  appointed  Milo 
de  Cogan  as  his  deputy. 

The  city  was  invested  in  11 71  by  a  large  army  under  the  command 
of  Asculph  the  Dane,  but  the  brave  Milo  de  Cogan  succeeded  in 
repulsing   the   enemy   with    great    slaughter ;    and   the   fierce  Asculph, 


4 


THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN. 


having  been  taken  prisoner,  suffered  decapitation,  after  which  his  head 
was  placed  upon  a  spike  on  the  castle  gate.  Thus  terminated  the 
sway  of  the  sea-kings  in  Ireland,  for  this  was  the  last  attempt  made 
by  the  Danes  to  regain  possession  of  Dublin.  "  Many  of  them,"  writes 
Harris,  "had  before  incorporated  with  the  Irish,  and  now  upon  this 
great  revolution,  such  as  remained  in  the  city  or  neighborhood  became 
quiet  subjects  of  the  English,  and  by  degrees  one  people  with  them." 

The  visit  of  Henry  II.  to  Ireland,  in  the  following  year,  was 
productive  of  the  most  important  consequences.  On  his  arrival  in 
Dublin,  he  summoned  all  the  Irish  kings  to  attend  and  do  him  homage 
as  their  liege  lord.  He  was  obeyed  by  the  greater  number  of  these 
petty  dynasts  ;  and  in  a  spacious  pavilion,  constructed  of  smooth  wattles 
plastered  with  clay,  that  monarch  kept  his  Christmas  with  as  much 
pomp  and  ceremony  as  were  practicable  under  the  circumstances.  Here, 
surrounded  by  the  mail-clad  chivalry  of  England,  he  entertained  the 
Irish  princes,  and  confirmed  them  in  the  opinion  of  his  wealth  and 
power.  Having  established  courts  of  justice,  held  a  parliament,  and 
exercised  other  prerogatives  of  the  sovereign,  he  returned  to  England, 
and  distributed  his  new  and  easily  acquired  kingdom  amongst  those 
leaders  who  had  first  invaded  the  island,  except  the  city  of  Dublin, 
which  he  granted  by  charter  to  his  subjects  in  Bristol,  to  hold  with 
all  the  liberties  and  free  customs  they  had  in  their  own  city.  From 
this  date  a  new  era  commences  in  the  history  of  Dublin.  To  use  the 
words  of  a  writer  on  the  subject,  "We  have  hitherto  viewed  the  city 
as  the  abode  of  a  rude  colony,  whose  territory  was  limited  to  the 
district  immediately  contiguous.  We  are  now  to  consider  Dublin 
ascending  progressively  in  the  scale  of  cities :  first,  as  the  capital  of 
the  English  Pale,  and  afterwards  as  the  metropolis  of  the  whole  kingdom." 

The  records  of  Dublin  for  the  five  succeeding  centuries,  until  the 
Revolution  which  placed  William  III.  on  the  throne,  though  not  deficient 
in  interest,  are  principally  occupied  with  the  bloody  struggles  which 
were  obstinately  maintained  between  the  English  and  Irish  interests. 
Within  this  period  the  city  was  visited  by  Richard  II.  in  1394  and 
again  in  1399,  and  by  Henry  V.  in  141 3.  One  of  the  most  memorable 
events  however  that  occurred  in  it  was  the  Rebellion,  at  the  beginning 
of  the  sixteenth  century,   of  Lord  Thomas  Fitzgerald,  "  Silken  Thomas." 


REBELLION  OF  "  SILKEN  THOMAS: 


appointed  Lord-Deputy  in  the  absence  of  his  father,  the  Earl  of  Kildare, 
upon  the  latter  being  summoned  to  appear  before  Henry  VIII.  and 
answer  charges  preferred  against  him.  Lord  Thomas  having  heard 
that  the  Earl  had  been  thrown  into  prison  in  London,  and  afterwards 
put  to  death,  armed  his  followers  and  proceeding  to  St.  Mary's  Abbey, 
where  the  council  was  sitting,  threw  down  the  sword  of  state,  and 
declared  that  he  would  depend  upon  his  own  weapon  to  revenge  his 
father's  death,  and  that  from  that  hour  he  was  no  longer  the  King's 
deputy  but  his  mortal  foe.  He  then,  at  the  head  of  his  adherents, 
notwithstanding  the  remonstrance  of  Cromer,  the  primate  and  chancellor, 
took  possession  of  the  city,  and  laid  siege  to  the  castle,  the  conduct  of 
which  latter,  however,  he  left  to  his  followers,  while  he  marched  against 
and  defeated  the  Earl  of  Ossory.  But  Henry  having  sent  a  supply 
of  troops  under  Sir  William  Brereton  against  him,  and  his  castle  of 
Maynooth  having  been  surrendered  through  the  treachery  of  his  foster- 
brother,  as  described  in  the  last  chapter,  Lord  Thomas  was  compelled 
to  make  terms  with  Lord  Leonard  Grey,  who  solemnly  promised  him 
a  pardon,  and,  under  the  pretence  that  it  would  require  the  King's 
ratification  sent  him  to  London,  where  he  was  committed  to  the  Tower. 
"  Henry,"  says  an  historian,  "  now  vowed  vengeance  against  the  whole 
lineage  of  Kildare ;  and  Lord  Grey  received  orders  to  arrest  his  five 
uncles,  whom  he  entrapped  by  inviting  them  to  a  banquet,  where  they 
were  made  prisoners,  conveyed  to  London,  and,  with  their  nephew, 
most  foully  put  to  death,  although  they  took  no  part  in  his  insurrection, 
and  two  of  them  were  decidedly  opposed  to  it.  Nor  was  the  brutal 
rage  of  the  monarch  satiated  with  this.  His  wily  deputy  received 
instructions  to  exterminate  the  whole  race,  which  he  but  too  faithfully 
carried  into  effect ;  entering  their  country  with  an  immense  force,  those 
who  resisted  he  slew,  and  those  who  surrendered  he  brought  prisoners 
to  Dublin,  where  sixteen  of  them  were  executed  as  traitors  in  one  day. 
Gerald,  a  younger  son  of  the  Earl  only  escaped ;  and  the  vengeful 
monster  thirsting  for  his  blood  too,  pursued  him  from  court  to  court, 
demanding  him  from  the  respective  monarchs,  when  he  at  length  found 
safety  in  the  protection  of  Cardinal  Pole,  Henry's  relative  and  declared 
enemy,  who  educated  him  suitably  to  his  birth,  and  preserved  him  to 
regain  the  honors  of  his  family."     In  1689  James  II.  arrived  in  Dublin, 


6 


THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN. 


amidst  the  acclamations  of  the  people;  and  William  III.  entered  the 
city  in  the  following  year  a  few  days  after  the  Battle  of  the  Boyne, 
and  treated  the  inhabitants  with  considerable  harshness. 

During  the  century  succeeding  the  Revolution,  the  chronicles  of  the 
metropolis  are  of  a  more  peaceable  character,  so  that  at  its  close  Dublin 
had  assumed  a  new  aspect,  having  improved  so  rapidly  in  appearance 
that  no  European  city  of  similar  extent  could  then  vie  with  it  in  the 
magnificence  of  its  streets,  squares,  and  public  buildings.  It  was, 
however,  not  a  stranger  to  the  terrible  scenes  that  combined  to  form 
the  tragic  drama  of  '98,  for  the  city  was  proclaimed,  and  many  frightful 
excesses  committed,  while  under  the  influence  of  martial  law.  After 
this,  in  1803,  occurred  the  insurrection,  commonly  called  Emmet's  Rebel- 
lion, in  which  Lord  Kilwarden,  Chief-justice  of  the  King's  Bench,  and 
his  nephew  lost  their  lives  ;  and  the  gifted  leader  who  organized  it  was 
arrested,  tried,  and  executed.  Of  the  notable  events  in  the  history  of 
Dublin,  which  have  taken  place  since  that  period,  we  may  mention  the 
visits  of  George  IV.  in  182 1,  and  of  Queen  Victoria  in  1849  ar*d  1 853, 
the  latter  being  on  the  occasion  of  the  International  Exhibition,  only  the 
second  of  its  kind  in  the  world's  history,  and  the  result  of  the  liberality 
of  a  public-spirited  citizen,  William  Dargan.  In  1861  the  Queen  again 
visited  the  Irish  metropolis  ;  in  1865  a  second  Dublin  International 
Exhibition  was  opened  by  the  Prince  of  Wales,  and  in  1872  a  third  by 
the  Duke  of  Edinburgh. 

The  population  of  the  city  of  Dublin  in  1644  was  only  8159,  but 
in  1682  it  had  increased  to  64,483.  In  1728  it  had  advanced  to  146,075, 
but  in  1753  it  had  become  reduced  to  128,570.  However,  the  number 
of  its  inhabitants  again  rose,  and  in  1798  was  182,370,  living  in  16,401 
houses.  In  the  immediately  succeeding  censuses  the  number  rose  and 
fell,  and  in  1821  was  little  in  advance  of  that  last  given;  yet  in  1851 
it  reached  258,361,  which  had  become  reduced  in  1871  to  245,722.  This 
latter,  however,  did  not  include  the  suburbs,  which  advanced  the  total 
population  to  nearly  320,000.  The  city  of  Dublin  returns  two  members 
to  the  British  House  of  Commons,  in  which  body,  it  will  be  also  noticed, 
the  University  of  Dublin  is  represented.  The  residential  portion  of  the 
city  may  be  said  to  occupy  a  space  three  and  a  half  miles  long  from 
east  to  west,  by  two  and  a  quarter  from  north  to  south,  of  which  area 


THE  CASTLE  AXD  ITS  HISTORY. 


7 


nearly  two-thirds  is  found  south  of  the  river.  In  1610  it  was  confined 
entirely  to  the  latter,  and  did  not  exceed  a  mile  in  circumference.  Like 
other  populous  places,  Dublin  has,  of  course,  its  social  demarcations.  In 
the  south-eastern  corner  are  situated  its  finest  streets  and  squares,  and 
its  principal  public  institutions ;  in  its  south-western  are  its  two  cathedrals 
and  ancient  churches,  its  poplin  manufactories,  and  streets  now  of  a 
character  more  apt  to  repel  than  attract  the  visitor,  though  in  olden 
times  some  of  them  contained  many  abodes  of  wealth  and  luxury.  Its 
north-western  quarters,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Liffey,  embraces  its 
markets,  hospitals,  foundries,  breweries,  and  distilleries  ;  while  its  north- 
eastern is  mainly  devoted  to  commerce,  and  comprises  the  custom  house, 
docks,  and  warehouses.  The  heart  of  the  citv  mav  be  said  to  be  that 
in  which  lie  the  courts  of  law  on  the  north  of  the  river,  and  the  seats 
of  municipal  and  national  government  on  the  south,  the  former  occupying 
the  Roval  Exchange,  and  the  latter  the  Castle. 

Notwithstanding  its  antiquity,  Dublin  has  few  ancient  edifices,  either 
public  or  private — the  cumbrous  works  of  the  early  inhabitants  having 
given  place  to  the  lighter  productions  of  their  sons.  Even  the  Castle 
of  Dublin,  though  nominally  ancient."  is  in  reality  a  modern  building. 
It  was  formerly  moated  and  flanked  with  towers,  but  the  ditch  has 
been  long  since  filled  up,  and  the  old  buildings  rased ;  and  the 
Wardrobe  or  Record  Tower  +  is  all  that  now  remains  of  the  ancient 
fortress.  The  castle  at  present  consists  of  two  courts,  called  the  upper 
and  lower  castle  yards.  The  former  is  an  oblong  square  formed  by 
four  ranges  of  buildings,  containing  the  state  and  private  apartments 
of  the  viceroy.  St.  Patrick's  Hall,  a  spacious  and  handsome  room,  with 

*  The  building  of  the  Castle  of  Dublin  was  commenced  about  the  year  1205  by  Meyler  Fitzhenry, 
Governor  of  the  city,  and  was  completed  in  1220  by  Henry  de  Loundres,  Bishop  of  Dublin ;  but  it 
was  not  until  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth  that  it  became  the  seat  of  government.  The  court  was 
previously  held,  sometimes  at  the  archbishop's  at  St.  Sepulchre's,  sometimes  in  Thomas  Court,  and  some- 
times at  the  Castle  of  Kilmainham. 

\  In  the  Record  Tower  are  now  preserved  the  statute  rolls  and  the  parliamentary  and  other  national 
records ;  its  walls  are  of  great  thickness,  and  built  upon  a  rock  of  black  stone,  and  it  occupies  the 
place  of  one  more  ancient,  known  as  the  Birmingham  Tower,  which  was  the  prison  of  the  castle,  where 
for  five  hundred  years  all  state  offenders  were  confined.  It  is  now  also  called  the  Wardrobe  Tower 
owing  to  its  being  the  depository  of  the  Royal  robes.  Its  original  title  was  conferred  upon  it  from  its 
having  been  the  place  of  confinement  of  Sir  William  Birmingham  who  was  accused  of  treasonable  offences 
in  1331,  for  which  he  was  hanged  the  following  year. 


8 


THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN. 


an  emblematically  decorated  ceiling,  and  the  Bedford  Tower,  emblazoned 
with  Corinthian  pillars,  and  surmounted  by  a  lofty  dome,  from  which 
the  royal  standard  is  displayed  on  days  of  state.  The  external 
appearance  of  this  quadrangle  is  exceedingly  plain,  but  it  is  entered  by 
a  fine  gate,  surmounted  by  a  statue  of  Justice.  The  lower  yard 
contains  several  of  the  government  offices,  and  a  beautiful  little  Gothic 
chapel,  built  in  1814,  of  which  latter  a  critical  writer  remarks,  that 
"though  of  limited  dimensions,  it  must  be  viewed  as  the  most  elaborate 
effort  made  in  recent  years  to  revive  the  ancient  ecclesiastical  style  of 
building,  and  is  beyond  a  question  the  richest  modern  casket  of  pointed 
architecture  to  be  witnessed  in  the  British  empire."  It  must  however 
be  confessed,  that  Dublin  Castle  is  deficient  as  a  whole,  having  no 
uniformity  of  plan,  and  is  so  scattered  that  the  eye  can  take  in  but  little 
at  once  ;  it  has  no  dignity  of  appearance,  and  bears  such  evident  marks 
of  the  various  repairs  it  has  undergone,  that,  like  Sir  John  Cutter's 
worsted  stockings  so  often  darned  with  black  silk  as  to  have  changed 
their  original  nature,  all  traces  of  its  venerable  origin  is  lost  in  the 
incongruous  embellishments  of  modern  art.  It  is  nevertheless  a  place 
of  considerable  excitement  on  the  occasion  of  the  Lord-Lieutenant's 
levees,  which  the  elite  of  Dublin  make  a  point  of  attending  ;  as  well 
as  upon  St.  Patrick's  day  when  the  Viceroy  invariably  appears  on  the 
balcony  with  a  bunch  of  shamrock  in  his  button  hole,  while  the  military 
bands  play  national  airs,  and  the  festivities  terminate  with  a  ball  in 
the  evening  in  St.  Patrick's  Hall,  which  latter  event  is  the  leading 
feature  of  the  season. 

Like  the  British  metropolis,  that  of  Ireland  possesses  two  stately 
ecclesiastical  edifices  ;  for  while  the  former  can  boast  of  its  St.  Paul's 
and  Westminster  Abbey,  the  latter  has  every  occasion  to  be  proud  of 
its  St.  Patrick's  and  Christ  Church  Cathedrals.  Though  in  point  of 
age  of  erection  the  latter  claims  to  be  the  senior,  the  antiquity  of 
foundation  is  generally  awarded  to  the  Cathedral  of  St.  Patrick, 
as  it  occupies  the  site  on  which  stood  a  small  church,  supposed, 
with  every  appearance  of  probability,  to  have  been  founded  by  native 
converts  to  Christianity,  and  dedicated  to  the  apostle  of  Ireland, 
long  before  the  Danes  acquired  possession  of  the  city,  and  having 
near  to  it  a  holy  well,  also  dedicated  to  him.    John  Comyn,  Archbishop 


ST.  PATRICK'S  CATHEDRAL. 


9 


of  Dublin,*  pulled  down  the  ancient  church  in  1190,  in  which  year  a 
great  fire  devastated  a  large  portion  of  the  city,  and  erected  on  the 
ground  a  more  extensive  structure,  and  placed  in  it  a  collegiate  establish- 
ment. Henry  de  Loundres,  the  successor  of  this  prelate,  made  it  a 
cathedral  in  1225,  uniting  it  with  the  priory  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  or  Christ 
Church,  and  securing  to  the  latter  the  prerogative  of  honor,  notwithstand- 
ing that  the  other  was  the  larger  and  more  imposing  pile.f  The 
architectural  character  of  St.  Patrick's  is  of  the  pointed  style,  with  some 
occasional  innovations  in  the  additions  made  at  various  periods.  The 
most  remarkable  of  these  supplementary  portions  of  the  edifice  are  the 
square  tower  and  spire — the  former,  erected  by  Archbishop  Minot  in  1370 
with  restorations  necessitated  by  the  destruction  of  a  great  portion  of 
the  building  by  fire  in  1362,  while  the  latter,  which  has  been  compared, 
not  inaptly,  to  a  vast  extinguisher,  owes  its  origin  to  a  legacy  bequeathed 
by  Dr.  Sterne,  Bishop  of  Clogher,  in  1 750.  The  height  of  the  tower 
is  120  feet,  that  of  the  spire  by  which  it  is  surmounted,  101  feet,  making 
a  total  of  221  feet.  Notwithstanding  this  elevation,  St.  Patrick's  is  far 
from  possessing  grandeur  of  appearance,  owing  partly  to  the  low  situation 
in  which  it  stands,  and  in  a  great  degree  to  the  clumsiness  of  its  pro- 
portions, for  it  is  only  by  comparing  it  with  the  buildings  in  its  unpre- 
possessing neighborhood  that  an  idea  can  be  formed  of  its  great  height. 
St.  Patrick's,  however,  like  many  other  cathedrals,  has  been  subject  to 
vicissitudes,  for  in  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII.  it  was  appropriated  to  courts 

*  St.  Patrick  is  said  to  have  placed  a  bishop  over  the  church  he  founded  at  Dublin  in  448.  The  see  is  a 
union  of  the  ancient  bishoprics  of  Lusk,  Finglas,  Clondalkin,  and  Tallagh,  of  which  the  earliest  known  prelate  is 
Livinus,  who  was  promoted  to  it  in  633.  In  II 52  Bishop  Gregory  was  raised  to  the  archiepiscopal  dignity  ;  and 
in  1214  the  diocese  was  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  the  see  of  Glendalough.  The  question  of  precedence 
between  the  sees  of  Dublin  and  Armagh  was  agitated  for  centuries  with  great  violence,  and  both  pleaded 
authority  in  support  of  their  pretensions.  It  was  at  length  determined,  in  Queen  Mary's  reign,  in  1552,  that  each 
prelate  should  be  entitled  to  primatial  dignity,  and  erect  his  crosier  in  the  diocese  of  the  other  ;  that  the  Arch- 
bishop of  Dublin  should  be  entitled  the  "Primate  of  Ireland,"  while  the  Archbishop  of  Armagh  should  be 
styled,  with  more  precision,  "  Primate  of  all  Ireland," — a  distinction  which  continues  to  the  present  day  in  both 
the  Roman  and  Protestant  churches.  George  Brown,  who  succeeded  to  the  archiepiscopal  throne  in  1535,  was 
the  first  Protestant  archbishop  of  Dublin.  By  the  church  temporalities  act  of  1833  the  Protestant  province  of 
Cashel  was  united  to  that  of  Dublin  in  1838,  and  the  diocese  of  Kildare  was  annexed  in  1846.  In  the  Roman 
church,  however,  the  provinces  remain  distinct,  and  the  diocese  of  Kildare  is  united  to  that  of  Leighlin. 

\  In  the  agreement  for  union  between  the  Chapters  it  was  decided  that  each  church  should  be  called 
Cathedral  and  Metropolitan,  but  that  Christ  Church  should  have  precedence  as  being  the  elder  church, 
and  that  the  Archbishops  should  be  buried  alternately  in  the  two  cathedrals. 

n.— 31 


10 


THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN. 


of  law;  but  in  1555  it  was  restored  to  its  original  ecclesiastical  purposes 
and  immunities.  The  body  of  the  cathedral,  the  outline  of  which  is 
cruciform  in  shape,  consists  of  a  nave  with  aisles  ;  a  north  and  south 
transept  each  with  a  western  aisle  ;  a  choir  with  two  aisles  of  great 
length,  and  a  Lady  chapel.  The  extreme  length  of  the  main  body  of 
the  building,  including  the  nave,  choir,  and  Lady  chapel,  is  300  feet  ; 
that  of  the  transept  160,  its  breadth  being  80  feet.  The  internal  length 
of  the  nave,  choir,  and  Lady  chapel  are  respectively  130,  90,  and  55 
feet.  The  aisles  of  the  choir  extend  beyond  the  east  end  to  half  the 
length  of  the  Lady  chapel,  which  latter  is  so  much  lower  than  the 
choir  that  externally  it  appears  detached. 

The  cathedral,  being  then  greatly  dilapidated,  was  in  1864-5  entirely 
restored,  at  the  sole  cost  of  the  late  Sir  Benjamin  Lee  Guinness, 
Bart.,  the  celebrated  brewer,  at  a  cost  of  about  ^"160,000,  on  which 
occasion  all  the  external  walls  were  newly  faced,  several  of  the  flying 
buttresses  and  pinnacles  rebuilt,  two  new  porches  constructed,  and  the 
tower  and  spire  thoroughly  repaired.  The  interior  walls  of  the  nave 
and  transept  were  also  renewed,  the  ceiling  groined,  the  north  transept, 
formerly  used  as  a  parish  church,  rebuilt,  and  the  partitions  which 
separated  the  transepts  and  nave  from  the  choir  removed,  and  the  whole 
building  thus  thrown  open  for  the  purposes  of  worship.  A  fine  organ 
was  placed  at  the  right  of  the  communion  table,  the  principal  windows 
filled  with  stained  glass,  and  a  new  pulpit  erected  in  memory  of  the 
donor's  friend,  the  late  Dean  Packenham.  The  Lady  chapel,  rebuilt 
by  Dean  Packenham,  was  formerly  used  as  a  church  for  French 
Protestants,  and  by  George  IV.  as  a  chapter  house  for  the  Knights  of 
St.  Patrick,  whose  stalls  in  the  choir  are  each  surmounted  by  the  helmet, 
sword,  and  banner  of  the  order. 

St.  Patrick's  Cathedral  contains  several  monumental  sculptures,  more 
remarkable  for  the  celebrity  of  the  names  they  commemorate  than  for 
the  excellence  of  their  design  or  execution.  Amongst  them  the  stranger 
will  pause  with  interest  before  the  black  marble  slab  which  bears  the 
name  of  Jonathan  Swift,  dean  of  this  cathedral,  whose  wit  and  public 
spirit  need  no  encomium  here.  Near  to  the  remains  of  the  eccentric 
dean  lie  the  ashes  of  Esther  Johnson,  celebrated  by  his  muse  under 
the  name  of  "  Stella ;"  whose  history  and  connection  with  him  continue 


MONUMENTS  IN   ST.  PATRICK'S. 


11 


to  be  involved  in  mystery.*  The  most  conspicuous  and  elaborate,  but 
at  the  same  time  the  most  tasteless  monument  in  the  church,  is  that 
intended  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  sixteen  members  of  the  family 
of  Boyle,  Earl  of  Cork.  It  was  erected  by  Richard  "the  Great  Earl," 
in  the  reign  of  Charles  I.,  and  remains  a  huge  memorial  of  the  gaudy 
style  which  prevailed  at  the  period  of  its  erection.  There  is  also  a 
mural  tablet  in  black  marble  to  the  memory  of  Frederick,  Duke  of 
Schomberg,  the  celebrated  general  of  William  III.,  who  was  killed  at 
the  battle  of  the  Boyne.  His  ashes  were  suffered  to  remain  without 
any  monumental  record  until  Dean  Swift  erected  this  simple  memorial 
at  his  own  cost.  Mr.  Brewer  says  that  "Swift  did  not  undertake  his 
task  until  he  had  made  repeated  unsuccessful  applications  to  the  family, 
who  derived  the  whole  of  its  affluence  and  honors  from  the  duke ;  and 
the  indignant  severity  with  which  he  composed  the  inscription  on  a 
tablet  thus  raised  by  alien  hands,  although  it  gave  some  offence  at  the 
time,  redounds  to  the  honor  of  his  humanity  and  public  spirit."  Of 
the  other  monuments  we  may  specially  note,  in  consequence  of  the 
celebrity  of  the  names  they  record,  one  of  the  Rev.  Charles  Wolfe,  author 
of  "The  Burial  of  Sir  John  Moore,"  and  a  bust,  by  Christopher  Moore, 
of  the  talented  John   Philpot  Curran. 

The  excellence  of  the  choir  of  the  cathedral  attracts  a  large  con- 
gregation to  the  Sunday  afternoon  services  to  listen  to  the  singing  of 
the  anthems.     "The  choral  music  of  St.   Patrick's  Cathedral,"  says  the 

*  Esther  Johnson  was  the  reputed  daughter  of  Sir  William  Temple's  steward,  but  presumed  to  be 
the  illegitimate  offspring  of  the  statesman  himself,  to  whom  Swift  was  private  secretary.  She  was  15 
years  younger  than  Swift,  who  not  only  aided  in  her  education  but  won  her  constant  affection,  which  led 
to  her  becoming  the  "Stella"  of  his  poems  and  letters,  and  to  their  two  names  being  associated  in  a 
mysterious  history.  In  1700,  when  Swift  became  Vicar  of  Laracor,  near  Trim,  at  his  invitation,  Esther 
Johnson  and  a  friend,  Mrs.  Dingley,  removed  to  the  neighborhood,  when  Swift  and  Stella  daily  either 
saw  or  corresponded  with  each  other,  and  during  the  former's  frequent  absences  the  latter  superintended 
his  household,  indifferent,  apparently,  to  the  scandal  which  the  equivocal  position  provoked.  Though  Swift 
declared  to  Stella  that  he  "loved  her  better  than  his  life  a  thousand  million  times,"  he  was  unwilling  to 
enter  into  matrimonial  relations  with  her  until  the  arrival  in  Ireland,  in  1714,  of  Miss  Vanhomrigh,  who 
figures  in  his  writings  as  "Vanessa."  Then,  at  the  solicitation  of  Stella,  who,  after  having  for  15  years 
waited  patiently  to  have  justice  done  to  her,  found  the  idea  of  being  replaced  in  Swift's  affections  by 
another  intolerable,  it  is  said  he  finally  consented  to  a  private  marriage,  which  took  place  in  1716  in  the 
garden  of  the  deanery  in  Dublin.  The  union  was,  however,  at  the  dean's  express  stipulation,  kept  secret, 
and  was,  at  best,  but  a  nominal  one,  as  their  relations  remained  unchanged  ;  and,  though  they  were  never 
known  to  meet  except  in  the  presence  of  a  third  person,  throughout  her  life  Stella  commonly  passed,  not 
for  his  wife,  but  for  his  mistress.     She  died  in  1727  in  the  forty-sixth  year  of  her  age. 


12 


THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN. 


poet  Longfellow,  "  is  almost  unrivalled  in  its  combined  powers  of  voice, 
organ,  and  scientific  skill.  The  majestic  harmony  of  effect  thus  pro- 
duced is  not  a  little  deepened  by  the  character  of  the  church  itself, 
which,  though  small,  yet  with  its  dark  rich  fretwork,  knightly  helmets 
and  banners,  and  old  monumental  effigies,  seems  all  filled  and  over- 
shadowed by  the  spirit  of  chivalrous  antiquity.  The  imagination  never 
fails  to  recognize  it  as  a  fitting  scene  for  high  solemnities  of  old, — a 
place  to  witness  the  solitary  vigil  of  arms,  or  to  resound  with  the 
funeral  march  at  the  burial  of  some  warlike  king."  Indeed,  the  music 
of  St.  Patrick's  formed  a  theme,  in  her  day,  for  the  muse  of  Mrs. 
Hemans,  who  wrote  : — 

"Again,  O,  send  that  anthem  peal  again 

Through  the  arched  roof  in  triumph  to  the  sky ! 
Bid  the  old  tombs  ring  proudly  to  the  strain, 
The  banners  thrill  as  if  with  victory. 

"  Such  sounds  the  warrior  awe-struck  might  have  heard, 
While  armed  for  fields  of  chivalrous  renown  ; 
Such  the  high  hearts  of  kings  might  well  have  stirred, 
While  throbbing  still  beneath  the  recent  crown." 

The  Cathedral  of  Christ  Church,  which,  like  that  of  St.  Patrick,  is 
situated  in  anything  but  a  prepossessing  neighborhood,  lies  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  to  its  north,  and  about  an  equal  distance  to  the  west  of  the 
castle.  The  "Black  Book  of  Christ  Church"  informs  us  that  its  vaults 
were  formed  by  Danes  before  the  visit  of  St.  Patrick  to  Ireland,  who 
afterward  celebrated  Mass  in  of  one  them.  The  present  building  however 
dates  back  to  1038  (a  century  and  a  half  before  the  erection  of  St. 
Patrick's),  upon  a  site  presented  by  Sitric,  a  Danish  prince,  to  Donat, 
Bishop  of  Dublin,  who  dedicated  it  to  the  Blessed  Trinity."'  It  was 
subsequently  enlarged  by  Lawrence  O'Toole,  who  in  11 63  changed  the 
canons,  originally  secular,  into  canons  regular  of  the  order  of  Arras ; 
then  by  Archbishop  John  Comyn  in  1190,  and  by  Strongbow  and 
Fitzstephen,  and  later  still  by  Raymond  le  Gros,  who  added  the  choir, 
steeple,  and  two  smaller  chapels,  and  by  John  de  St.  Paul,  who  in 
1360  erected   the    chancel.     The    cathedral,  which  is   a   plain  structure 

*  There  was  attached  to  the  church  a  monastic  establishment,  which  existed  until  the  dissolution  of  these 
religious  communities  by  Henry  VIII.,  when  the  priory  was  changed  into  a  dean  and  chapter,  and  the 
ancient  name  of  Church  of  the  Blessed  Trinity  was  altered  to  that  of  Christ  Church 


CHRIST  CHURCH  CATHEDRAL. 


13 


both  in  its  exterior  and  interior  decorations,  is,  like  the  sister  church, 
built  in  the  form  of  a  cross,  the  extreme  length  of  the  nave  and 
choir  being  260  feet,  the  length  of  the  transept  110  feet,  the  extreme 
breadth  of  each  80  feet,  and  the  tower  which  springs  from  the  inter- 
section not  remarkable  for  its  height.  It  was  in  this  cathedral  that 
the  church  Liturgy  was  first  read  in  Ireland  in  the  English  tongue  ;  but 
in  1553  Mass  was  again  performed  in  it  by  order  of  Queen  Mary,  and 
continued  till  1559,  in  which  year  a  Parliament  was  held  in  the  church, 
the  English  Bible  first  placed  for  use  on  its  desks,  and  the  Reformed 
style  of  worship  finally  restored.  Christ  Church  has  in  its  time  been 
made  the  repository  of  various  relics,  among  which  may  be  named  the 
shrine  of  St.  Cubie,  taken  by  the  people  of  Dublin  from  the  Welsh  ; 
and  the  church  was  esteemed  of  such  high  sanctity,  that  pilgrims  to 
it  enjoyed  the  rights  of  sanctuary  in  Dublin  during  their  stay.  In  the 
sixteenth  century  many  of  its  relics  were  publicly  destroyed,  including 
St.   Patrick's  staff,  which  was  committed  to  the  flames. 

Though  Christ  Church  had  been  restored  in  1833,  it  was  afterwards 
so  neglected,  that  at  the  time  of  the  disestablishment  of  the  Protestant 
church  in  Ireland,  in  January,  1871,  it  was  in  such  a  dilapidated  con- 
dition, that,  notwithstanding  its  historical  importance,  there  were  serious 
thoughts  of  handing  it  over  to  the  Roman  Catholic  church.  But  this 
was  frustrated  by  the  cathedral  having  acquired,  like  St.  Patrick's,  a 
public-spirited  and  wealthy  renovator,  in  the  person  of  Mr.  Henry  Roe, 
of  Mount  Anville  Park,  Dundrum,  a  prosperous  distiller  of  Irish  whiskey, 
through  whose  liberality  the  sacred  edifice  has  not  only  been  thoroughly 
restored,  but  a  Synod  Hall,  for  the  use  of  Irish  church  conferences, 
annexed,  at  a  cost  altogether  of  about  ,£250,000.  The  improvements 
included  the  demolition  of  the  mean  houses  and  decaying  walls  of  the 
exterior,  and  the  raising  of  the  stunted  tower  and  crowning  it  with 
battlements,  turrets,  and  a  low  spire.  The  restored,  or  more  properly 
rebuilt  cathedral,  was  opened  for  public  worship  on  May  1,  1878.  The 
choral  services  of  this  church,  like  those  of  St.  Patrick's,  are  noted 
for  the  musical  ability  with  which  they  are  conducted. 

Among  the  monuments  contained  in  Christ  Church  is  the  tomb, 
somewhat  defaced,  of  Henry  the  Second's  renowned  English  chieftain, 
Strongbow,  with    recumbent  figures,  said  to  be  those  of  the  knight  in 


14 


THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN. 


armor,  and  Eva,  his  wife.  Doubts  have,  however,  been  entertained  of 
the  authenticity  of  the  figure  of  Strongbow,  as  the  arms  emblazoned  on 
the  shield  are  not  those  which  belonged  to  that  warrior.  It  has,  in 
fact,  been  affirmed  that  it  represents  the  Earl  of  Desmond,  lord  chief- 
justice,  who  was  conspired  against  by  those  who  looked  with  jealousy 
on  his  kindness  to  the  Irish  people,  and  was  beheaded  at  Drogheda 
in  1467,  to  about  which  period  the  date  of  the  memorial  is  ascribed. 
It  is  recorded  that  the  monument  was  broken  by  the  fall  of  the  roof 
of  the  church  in  1562,  and  that  it  was  "  set  up  "  again  in  1570,  by 
Sir  Henry  Sydney,  then  lord-deputy  of  Ireland.  Though  its  authenticity 
may  be  questioned,  there  can  be  little  hesitancy  in  believing,  from  the 
testimony  of  Giraldus  Cambrensis,  a  contemporary  historian,  that  the 
mortal  remains  of  Strongbow  were  actually  entombed  within  these  walls. 
The  accompanying  half-length  effigy  is  also  an  object  of  dispute,  as  it 
has  been  reputed  by  some  to  have  been  erected  not  in  honor  of 
Strongbow's  wife,  but  of  his  son,  a  youth  of  seventeen,  who,  as  tradition 
records,  deserted  his  father  in  a  battle  with  the  Danes,  and  fled  to 
Dublin  in  the  utmost  consternation,  declaring  that  Strongbow  and  all 
his  forces  had  perished.  When  afterwards  convinced  of  his  mistake,  he 
appeared  before  the  earl  to  congratulate  him  upon  his  victory  ;  but  the 
incensed  warrior,  after  sharply  upbraiding  his  degenerate  offspring  for  his 
cowardice,  caused  him  to  be  put  to  death,  the  executioner  severing  him 
in  the  middle  with  a  sword.* 

We  cannot  attempt  even  a  cursory  description  of  the  numerous 
other  churches  of  every  denomination  with  which  Dublin  abounds. 
Those  who  delight  in  antiquarian  research  will  examine  Lord  Portlester's 
Chapel,  the  only  portion  now  used  of  the  ruined  St.  Audeoris  Church, 
south  of  the  Liffey,  which  contains,  amongst  many  interesting  monumental 
remains,  the  tomb  of  Roland  Fitz-Eustace,  Baron  Portlester,  erected  in 
the  year   1455,  and  still  very  complete.    The  lovers  of  scientific  inquiry 

*  With  regard  to  the  identity  of  the  knightly  figure,  it  has  otherwise  been  asserted  that  the  effigy  of 
the  earl  was  entirely  destroyed  by  the  falling  of  the  roof,  and  that  the  lord-deputy  directed  that  the 
monument  of  Earl  Desmond,  which  was  at  Drogheda,  should  be  removed  to  Dublin  and  placed  by  the 
side  of  the  demi-figure  of  the  son,  all  that  could  be  recovered  from  the  ruins.  Stanihurst  assures  his 
readers  that  the  half-figure  is  the  original,  and  deplores  the  melancholy  fate  of  the  young  chieftain,  whom 
his  father,  he  remarks,  with  Roman  ferocity,  actually  cut  in  two,  for  a  violation  of  military  discipline  in  engaging 
the  enemy  during  his  absence,  and  not  for  cowardice,  as  other  historians  relate. 


ST.  MICHAN'S  ANTISEPTIC  VAULTS. 


IS 


will  not  fail  to  visit  the  vaults  of  St.  Micharis  Church,  near  the  Four 
Courts,  which  are  remarkable  for  a  strong  antiseptic  quality,  by  which 
bodies  deposited  there  have  been  kept  for  centuries  in  such  a  state  of 
preservation  as  to  keep  the  features  discernible,  and  the  bones,  cartilages, 
and  skin  astonishingly  perfect.  A  minute  description  of  these  vaults 
was  written  by  a  professional  gentleman  of  Dublin,  early  in  the  present 
century,  when  their  singular  properties  first  attracted  public  attention. 
"  The  bodies,"  says  he,  "  of  those  a  long  time  deposited,  appear  in  all 
their  awful  solitariness  at  full  length,  the  coffins  having  mouldered  to 
pieces  ;  but  from  those,  and  even  the  more  recently  entombed,  not  the 
least  cadaverous  smell  is  discoverable  ;  and  all  the  bodies  exhibit  a 
similar  appearance,  dry,  and  of  a  dark  color.  The  floor,  walls,  and 
atmosphere  of  the  vaults  of  St.  Michan's  are  perfectly  dry,  the  flooring 
is  even  covered  with  dust,  and  the  walls  are  composed  of  a  stone 
peculiarly  calculated  to  resist  moisture.  This  combination  of  circum- 
stances contributes  to  aid  nature  in  rendering  the  atmosphere  of  those 
gloomy  regions  more  dry  than  the  atmosphere  we  enjoy.  In  one  vault 
are  shown  the  remains  of  a  nun  who  died  at  the  advanced  aee  of 
one  hundred  and  eleven  ;  the  body  has  now  been  thirty  years  in  this 
mansion  of  death,  and  although  there  is  scarcely  a  remnant  of  the 
coffin,  the  body  is  as  completely  preserved  as  if  it  had  been  embalmed, 
with  the  exception  of  the  hair.  In  the  same  vault  are  to  be  seen  the 
bodies  of  two  Roman  Catholic  clergymen,  which  have  been  fifty  years 
deposited  here,  even  more  perfect  than  the  nun.  In  general,  it  was 
observed  that  the  old  were  much  better  preserved  than  the  young." 
A  story  is  related,  that  the  air,  the  dryness  of  which  was  so  complete 
in  these  vaults,  was  changed  some  years  ago,  owing  to  the  night  visits 
of  a  rascally  sexton,  for  the  purpose  of  stealing  away  the  lead  coffins 
of  the  dead,  when  the  damp  air  entered,  and  threatened  to  play  havoc 
with  the  mummies ;  and  it  adds,  that  upon  his  releasing  the  body  of 
a  lady  from  its  coffin,  it  looked  him  fiercely  in  the  face  with  a  pair 
of  vengeful  eyes,  and  so  terrified  him  that  he  left  his  lantern  and  ran 
home  half  dead  with  fright,  while  the  lady  appropriated  the  light,  and 
with  its  aid  walked  quietly  to  her  own  home,  where  for  years  after  she 
lived  a  happy  life.  Any  reader  who  may  doubt  the  authenticity  of  this 
story  is  strongly  advised  not  to  express   any  skeptical   notions   to  the 


16 


THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN. 


present  sexton,  or,  indeed,  in  Dublin  at  all.  St.  Michan's  Church  was 
founded  in  1095,  by  the  pious  Dane  whose  name  it  bears  ;  but  the 
present  edifice,  built  on  the  site  of  an  older  one,  only  dates  back  to 
1676,  and  up  to  1700  it  was  the  only  church  in  Dublin  north  of  the 
Liffey.  In  its  vaults  rest  the  remains  of  many  whose  names  were 
memorable  at  the  close  of  the  last  century — the  brothers  Sheares.  Oliver 
Bond,  Dr.  Charles  Lucas,  and  the  Rev.  W.  Jackson,  the  latter  of  whom 
acted  as  agent  in  France  for  the  United  Irishmen,  and  "  sunk  in  the 
dock,"  from  the  effects  of  poison,  before  the  bench  could  pronounce 
sentence  upon  him. 

Of  the  modern  religious  edifices  St.  Georges  Church  is  decidedly 
one  of  the  handsomest  in  Dublin,  although  the  union  of  the  Grecian  with 
the  Gothic  style  of  architecture  which  it  exhibits  has  been  much 
censured.  It  is  situated  on  the  very  north  of  the  city,  near  Mountjoy 
Square,  and  was  erected  in  1802  from  designs  by  the  late  Mr.  Francis 
Johnston,  at  a  cost  of  ,£90,000.  St.  Wer bergs  Church,  on  the  south 
of  the  river,  near  the  castle,  is  a  mixture  of  the  Corinthian  and  Ionic 
orders.  Its  tutelary  saint  was  the  daughter  of  Wulfhere,  King  of 
Mercia,  and  was  entombed  in  the  cathedral  of  Chester.  The  interior 
is  venerable  and  elegant  and  contains  monuments  of  ecclesiastics  and 
knights,  while  its  vaults  contain  the  remains  of  Lord  Edward  Fitzgerald, 
who  died  of  wounds  received  during  his  arrest  in  1798.  St.  Anne's, 
near  the  Mansion  House,  has  a  spacious  and  elegant  interior,  but  is 
specially  noticeable  for  its  musical  services,  and  as  being  the  resting 
place  of  Felicia  Hemans  and  the   Rev.   Caesar  Otway. 

Of  the  numerous  Roman  Catholic  churches  to  be  found  in  Dublin, 
the  Cathedral  of  the  Conception,  in  Marlborough  Street,  is  most  worthy  of 
notice,  not  only  from  its  being  the  Metropolitan  church  but  also  from 
its  architectural  character.  It  is  a  splendid  pile  built  in  the  Grecian 
style,  with  a  portico  of  six  Doric  columns,  in  imitation  of  the  facade 
of  the  Temple  of  Theseus  at  Athens.  The  grand  aisle  is  enclosed  by 
a  double  range  of  columns,  but  so  massive  that  they  completely 
obstruct  the  view,  and  injure  the  fine  effect  which  the  simple  grandeur 
of  the  interior  would  otherwise  produce.  At  the  western  end  is  a 
beautiful  white  marble  altar,  detached  from  the  wall,  and  enclosed  by 
a  circular  railing.     There  is  accommodation  for  a  congregation  of  2000 


RELIGIOUS  EDIFICES. 


17 


persons.  The  late  Cardinal  Cullen  was  accustomed  to  preach  here  every 
Sunday,  and  the  choir,  which  is  excellent,  almost  invariably  received 
the  assistance  of  the  artists  of  the  Italian  Opera  whenever  they  visited 
the  city.  St.  Saviours  Church  in  Dominick  Street  must  also  be  men- 
tioned as  it  possesses  one  of  the  most  elaborately  decorated  fronts  in 
the  city,  and  a  rose-window  of  exquisite  design.  St.  Nicholas  Church 
in  St.  Francis  Street  occupies  the  site  of  the  ancient  monastery  of 
St.  Francis,  is  ornamented  with  a  portico  of  four  Ionic  columns,  and 
has  a  square  tower  with  Corinthian  pilasters  erected  by  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Flanagan  at  his  own  expense.  It  has  also  a  richly  decorated  interior, 
comprising  figures  of  St.  Luke  and  St.  Nicholas,  by  Hogan,  over  the 
side  altars,  and  groups  representing  the  Virgin  with  the  body  of  Christ, 
the  baptism  of  our  Saviour,  and  the  scene  of  his  first  miracle  in  Cana. 
St.  Andrews  Church,  near  the  Westland  Row  Terminus,  has  a  fine 
spire,  and  contains  a  group  representing  the  Transfiguration,  another  of 
the  works  of  Hogan,  undoubtedly  one  of  the  greatest  sculptors  to  which 
Ireland  can  lay  claim. 

Of  the  religious  edifices  belonging  to  other  denominations  the  most 
attractive  are  the  Presbyterian  Church  on  Ormond  Quay,  with  handsome 
Tudor  front  of  cut  limestone ;  another  of  the  same  denomination  in 
Adelaide  Road,  of  mountain  granite  in  the  Grecian  style  with  Ionic 
portico  on  high  rustic  basement  ;  and  a  third  in  Rutland  Square,  built 
and  endowed  by  the  Messrs.  Findlater ;  and  the  Wesleyan  Centenary 
Church  in  Stephen's  Green,  with  its  fine  Ionic  portico,  entablature,  and 
pediment,  constructed  of  mountain  granite. 

Half  a  mile  to  the  east  of  the  castle  stands  Trinity  College,  an 
institution  of  learning  of  so  high  a  character  that  its  fame  is  world- 
wide  and  undoubtedly  greater  than  that  of  any  other  establishment  in 
Ireland ;  for  the  roll  of  its  alumni  contains  perhaps  a  larger  number 
of  names  of  persons  specially  noted  for  brilliant  wit  or  solid  erudition 
than  can  be  found  in  that  of  anyr  other  seat  of  learning — in  fact,  so 
proud  are  its  graduates  of  their  Alma  Mater  that  they  almost  invari- 
ably place  the  initial  letters  "  T.  C.  D."  after  those  designating  their 
degrees,  as  it  were,  to  add  force  and  character  thereto.  The  history 
of  this  college  may  be  said  to  date  back  to  131 1,  when  Pope  Clement 
V.  granted  a  bull  to  John  Leek,  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  to  erect  a 
n.— 38 


It 


THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN. 


university,  which  he  left  undone,  and  so  his  successor,  A.  de  Bicknor, 
obtained  a  like  authority  from  Pope  John  XXII.,  when  the  college 
was  founded.  It  was,  however,  like  many  similar  institutions,  closed 
in  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII.  ;  but  his  daughter,  Elizabeth,  granted  to 
Archdeacon  Usher  (afterwards  Archbishop  of  Armagh),  a  new  charter 
for  a  university  on  the  site  of  the  dissolved  monastery  of  All  Saints, 
and  designated  it  the  "College  of  the  Holy  and  Indivisible  Trinity,  near 
Dublin."  It  now,  however,  forms  a  component  part  of  the  city,  so 
much  has  the  latter  increased  during  the  past  three  centuries.  The 
first  stone  of  the  present  college  was  laid  March  13th,  1 591 ,  and 
students  were  admitted  January  8th,  1593.  The  college  fell  to  a  low 
ebb  during  the  civil  war  and  the  Cromwellian  era,  but  resumed  its 
prosperous  career  at  the  restoration.  In  its  time  it  has  been  richly 
endowed  with  lands  or  granted  additional  privileges  by  James  I.,  Charles 
I.,  George  IV.,  and  Queen  Victoria,  and  by  bequests  of  private  indi- 
viduals, one  of  whom,   Erasmus  Smith,  has  endowed  five  professorships. 

The  front  of  Trinity  College,  east  of  College  Green,  is  of  the 
Corinthian  order.  The  principal  buildings  constitute  several  spacious 
quadrangles,  and  the  premises  extend  to  a  considerable  distance  and 
cover  an  area  of  thirty  acres.  It  is  impossible  for  us  to  enter  into  a 
description  of  the  various  apartments,  but  special  attention  may  be 
drawn  to  the  chapel,  to  the  theatre  for  examinations,  the  dining  hall, 
the  library,  and  the  old  and  new  museums.  The  theatre  and  dining 
hall  are  adorned  with  many  portraits  and  busts  of  eminent  graduates 
and  benefactors,  while  statues  of  Goldsmith  and  Burke,  by  Foley,  are 
placed  before  the  main  entrance  to  the  college,  and  are  justly  admired 
for  the  exactness  of  their  likenesses  and  the  spirit  of  their  design. 
The  library  occupies  the  entire  side  of  one  of  the  quadrangles,  and  is 
270  feet  in  length.  It  is  entitled  by  law  to  a  copy  of  every  work 
published  in  Great  Britain,  and  contains  upwards  of  200,000  volumes. 
At  the  eastern  end  is  the  Fagel  Library,  containing  18,000  volumes 
of  books,  the  collection  of  the  Fagel  family  in  Holland,  which  were 
removed  from  that  country  to  London  in  1794,  upon  the  invasion  of 
the  French,  and  purchased  by  the  University  of  Dublin  for  the 
moderate  sum  of  ^8000.  The  manuscript  room,  however,  is  one  of 
the  leading  attractions,  as  it  contains  a  great  number  of  Irish,  Icelandic, 


/ 

TRINITY  COLLEGE  AND  ITS  GOVERNMENT.  19 

and  Oriental  MSS.  of  inestimable  value — the  Irish  alone  comprising 
over  140  volumes,  several  of  them  on  vellum,  dating  from  the  early 
part  of  the  twelfth,  down  to  the  middle  of  the  last  century.  The  old 
museum,  over  the  college  gateway,  contains  among  other  antique  and 
interesting  articles  what  is  reputed  to  be  the  harp  of  Brian  Boroimhe, 
presented  by  his  son  Donogh  in  1023  to  the  Pope,  who,  in  turn,  gave 
it  to  Henry  VIII.,  who  presented  it  to  the  first  Earl  of  Clanricarde, 
from  whom  it  passed  through  several  hands  until  it  finally  found  a 
resting  place  here.  A  new  museum  has  recently  been  erected  in  the 
college  park,  which  latter  is  often  the  scene  of  many  well-contested 
cricket  matches  honored  by  the  attendance  of  the  rank  and  beauty  of 
the  Irish  metropolis. 

Trinity  College  is  governed  by  a  provost,  vice-provost,  and  senior 
and  junior  fellows.  When  a  vacancy  occurs  amongst  the  senior  fellows, 
the  eldest  of  the  juniors,  if  no  objection  lies  against  him,  is  elected 
by  the  provost  and  seniors  to  the  position  ;  but  the  admission  to  a 
junior  fellowship  is  obtained  only  by  sustaining  one  of  the  severest 
trials  of  the  human  faculties  of  which  there  is  any  modern  experience, 
or  even  knowledge  from  history.  The  examination  is  in  Latin,  and 
the  days  appointed  for  it  are  the  four  days  immediately  preceding 
Trinity  Sunday.  None  but  young  men  of  the  highest  abilities  ever 
think  of  standing  for  a  fellowship  :  they  generally  read  from  fourteen 
to  eighteen  hours  a  day  for  a  period  of  five,  often  of  seven  years, 
before  venturing  upon  the  ordeal.  Such  intense  study  has  materially 
injured  the  constitution  of  hundreds — many  have  become  blind,  and 
some  have  lost  their  lives  from  the  fatal  effects  of  such  continued 
mental  exertion.  There  is  not,  perhaps,  a  solitary  instance  of  a  fellow 
whose  health  has  not  been  injured  and  talents  impaired  by  it.  The 
university  has  attached  to  it,  schools  of  theology,  medicine,  and  civil 
engineering,  which  are  placed  under  the  charge  of  talented  professors, 
and  conducted  with  an  ability  worthy  of  the  high  character  of  the  main 
institution.  James  I.  conferred  upon  the  college  the  privilege  of 
returning  two  members  to  the  Irish  Parliament.  At  the  time  of  the 
Union,  in  1801,  it  was  restricted  to  the  return  of  one  member  to  the 
British  Parliament;  but,  by  the  Reform  Bill  of  1833,  it  was  restored  to 
the    privilege  of   returning    two    members,  and    at   the  same    time  the 


20 


THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN. 


elective  franchise  was  conferred  upon  all  the  graduates  who  had  taken 
the  degree  of  Masters  of  Arts  or  any  higher  degree,  instead  of  being 
as  previously,  limited  to  the  corporation  of  the  College,  the  fellows, 
and  the  scholars. 

College  Green  contains  a  statue  of  Henry  Grattan,  by  Foley,  erected 
in  1876,  and  an  equestrian  statue  of  William  III.,  in  lead  covered  with 
bronze  and  gilt,  erected  in  1701  by  the  citizens  of  Dublin,  to  commem- 
orate the  Revolution  of  1688.  The  adherents  of  James  regarded  this 
memorial  of  their  defeat  with  no  very  amicable  feelings,  and  from  the 
time  of  its  erection  until  very  recently  the  statue  became  a  fruitful  source 
of  discord  and  ill-will  between  the  Protestant  and  Roman  Catholic  inhab- 
itants. Irishmen,  however,  of  all  religious  creeds  and  of  every  political 
opinion,  can  appreciate  the  statue  of  their  national  poet,  Thomas  Moore, 
executed  by  his  namesake  the  sculptor,  which  stands  but  a  few  steps 
away  at  the  junction  of  College  and  Westmoreland  Streets.  Another 
memorial  standing  near  to  this  latter  is  a  drinking-fountain  raised  in 
honor  of  the  late  Sir  Philip  Crampton,  Bart.,  the  eminent  surgeon,  whose 
bust  surmounts  it. 

The  Bank  of  Ireland,  on  the  north  side  of  College  Green,  is  decidedly 
the  noblest  specimen  of  architecture  which  the  metropolis  can  boast  ; 
indeed,  it  is  scarcely  saying  too  much  to  assert  that  it  is  unequalled  in 
grandeur  of  design,  simplicity  of  arrangement,  and  majesty  of  effect  by 
any  public  building  in  the  British  Empire.  This  magnificent  pile  was 
originally  the  Parliament  House  of  Ireland,  but  in  the  year  1802,  after 
the  incorporation  of  the  Irish  Parliament  with  that  of  England,  by  the 
union  of  the  two  countries,  the  building  was  purchased  by  the  governors 
of  the  Bank  of  Ireland  for  a  sum  of  ,£40.000,  subject,  however,  to  an 
annual  rental  of  ^240.*  The  central  facade  and  projecting  wings,  which 
form  a  colonnade  of  the  Ionic  order,  are  admitted  to  be  a  chef-d'ceuvre 
of  modern  art.  The  noble  portico,  which  is  without  any  of  the  usual 
architectural  decorations  (with  the  exception  of  a  statue  of  Hibernia, 
between  Fidelity  and  Commerce,  the  last  two  modelled  by  Flaxman, 
surmounting  the  centre  pediment),  derives  all  its  beauty  from  the  harmony 
of  its  proportions,  and  is  one  of  the  few  instances  of  simple  form  only 

*  Previous  to  occupying  this  building  the  business  of  the  Bank  of  Ireland  was  carried  on  in  Mary's  Abbey 
north  of  the  Liffey. 


THE  BANK  OF  IRELAND. 


21 


expressing  true  symmetry.  The  east  front,  added  in  1785,  rather  incon- 
sistently possesses  a  Corinthian  porch  of  six  columns,  and  has  over  the 
tympanum  a  statue  of  Fortitude,  with  Justice  on  her  right  and  Liberty 
on  her  left  hand.  The  west  front,  which  is  of  still  later  date,  has  a 
portico  of  the  same  style  of  architecture  as  the  main  entrance.*  The 
entire  structure  is  built  of  Portland  stone.  On  the  conversion  of  this 
building  into  a  bank,  several  alterations  internally  and  externally  were 
found  necessary  to  adapt  it  for  its  changed  uses,  which,  however,  have 
been  executed  with  judicious  taste  and  a  strict  regard  to  the  preservation 
of  the  original  design.  The  fine  quadrangular  room  employed  as  the 
cash  office  occupies  the  site  of  the  old  House  of  Commons,  which  was 
a  large  oval  apartment.  The  old  House  of  Lords,  now  appropriated  to 
the  use  of  the  Court  of  Proprietors  of  the  bank,  however,  is  almost 
unchanged  ;  the  chairs  remaining  in  their  places,  with  the  long  table  in 
the  centre,  and  the  old  tapestry,  in  excellent  preservation,  still  hanging  on 
the  walls — that  on  the  left  representing  King  William  crossing  the  Boyne, 
with  Schomberg  expiring  under  his  horse's  feet,  and  that  on  the  right 
depicting  the  siege  of  Derry.  A  statue  of  George  III.  occupies  the  site 
of  the  old  throne.  It  is  impossible  to  saunter  through  and  contemplate 
this  historic  edifice  without  the  mind  being  recalled  to  the  noble  bursts 
of  eloquence  or  the  brilliant  sallies  of  wit  that  are  indelibly  associated 
with  it  and  form  part  of  the  legislative  annals  of  the  land. 

But  as  an  arena  for  the  display  of  genuine  Irish  wit  there  is  scarcely 
an)"  place  in  Dublin  that  can  compare  to  the  auditorium  of  the  theatre, 
between  the  acts  of  a  popular  performance,  when  there  is  almost  certain 
to  be  some  characteristic  exhibition  of  Irish  humor.   The  Theatre  Royal,\ 

*  The  edifice  occupies  the  site  of  a  building  erected  early  in  the  seventeenth  century  by  the  then  High 
Treasurer,  Sir  G.  Carey  at  a  cost  of  ^4000,  originally  intended  for  a  hospital,  but  which  became  successively 
the  seat  of  justice  and  a  mansion.  Of  the  present  building,  commenced  in  1729,  during  Lord  Carteret's  admin- 
istration, and  completed  in  1787,  it  is  not  very  clearly  ascertained  who  was  the  original  architect,  but  the 
Corinthian  portico  erected  at  the  entrance  to  the  House  of  Lords,  in  1785,  was  the  design  of  James  Gandon,  and 
the  Ionic  portico  at  the  entrance  of  the  House  of  Commons  was  that  of  Mr.  Robert  Parke  in  1787.  The 
original  cost  of  the  entire  structure  was  nearly  ,£100,000. 

f  Anecdotes  of  the  Dublin  Theatres  might  form  a  curious  and  interesting  history.  The  earliest  was 
built  in  1635,  under  the  patronage  of  Lord  Strafford,  by  John  Ogilby,  the  translator  of  Homer,  for  whom 
Shirley  wrote  his  play  of  "The  Royal  Master,"  originally  performed  in  Dublin.  The  next  was  erected  in  Smock 
Alley,  then  Orange  Street  ;  but  it  fell  in  during  representation,  and  several  persons  were  killed.  It  was  subsequently 
repaired,  and  Farquhar  (a  native  of  Londonderry)  made  his  first  appearance  there  ;  so  also  did  Peg  Woffington. 
Early  in  the  last  century  there  were  no  fewer  than  five  theatres  in  the  city.  The  Crow  Street  Theatre  was  opened 
in  the  year  1758. 


22 


THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN. 


in  Hawkins  Street,  a  little  distance  from  the  college  and  the  bank,  is  the 
leading  place  of  amusement  in  the  city,  and  has  an  entrance  yard  and  a 
colonnade,  and  a  large  and  deep  stage.  It  was  erected  in  1820  by 
Samuel  Beasley,  Esq.  The  Gaiety  Theatre,  a  recently  erected  structure 
near  Stephen's  Green,  on  the  other  side  of  Trinity  College,  presents  no 
external  attraction,  but  its  internal  arrangements  are  tasteful  and  exten- 
sive, and  enable  it  to  accommodate  an  audience  of  2000  persons,  who  are 
principally  entertained  by  pieces  of  the  lighter  order,  the  more  solid  and 
pretentious  dramas  and  grand  operas  being  left  to  the  older  house.  A 
smaller  but  popular  house,  called  the  Qiceeris  Theatre,  in  Great  Brunswick 
Street,  is  mainly  devoted  to  the  production  of  dramas  of  the  sensational 
class. 

The  growing  influence  of  taste  has  in  late  years  been  so  great  as  to 
lead  to  a  very  close  connection  between  the  useful  and  fine  arts,  and 
certainly  there  is  no  institution  in  Ireland  more  conducive  to  this  union 
than  that  of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society,  to  whose  buildings  and  grounds  we 
must  now  take  the  reader.  This  society  originated  with  a  few  eminent 
men  in  1 73 1 ,  and,  says  Arthur  Young,  "has  the  undoubted  merit  of 
being  the  father  of  all  the  similar  societies  now  existing  in  Europe."  In 
1749  it  received  a  charter  of  incorporation,  as  "The  Dublin  Society  for 
promoting  husbandry  and  other  useful  arts,"  and  for  a  century  back  has 
received  a  very  liberal  annual  Parliamentary  grant.  In  18 15  it  purchased 
its  present  mansion  in  Kildare  Street,  between  College  Park  and  Stephen's 
Green,  which  from  the  date  of  its  erection  in  1745  had  formed  the  mag- 
nificent town  establishment  of  the  Duke  of  Leinster.  Agricultural  and 
industrial  exhibitions  have  from  time  to  time  been  held  under  the  aus- 
pices of  the  society,  which  possesses  a  museum,  schools  of  art,  and  a 
library  of  30,000  volumes  within  its  buildings  ;  and  two  miles  distant,  at 
Glasnevin,  north  of  the  city,  and  on  the  banks  of  the  Tolka,  a  botanical 
garden  of  over  40  acres,  laid  out  with  much  taste,  and  containing  fine 
palm  houses  and  conservatories.  This  garden  was  founded  in  1 790  by 
the  Irish  Parliament,  who  voted  to  the  Dublin  Society  the  sum  necessary 
for  the  purchase  of  the  ground.  It  is  a  most  popular  resort,  and  for 
picturesque  situation  has  scarcely  a  rival. 

Stephens  Green,  which  lies  just  beyond  the  Dublin  Royal  Society's 
premises,  is  a  pleasant  square,    tastefully   laid  out,  and    surrounded  by 


EXHIBITION  PALACE  AND   WINTER  GARDEN. 


some  of  the  finest  houses  in  the  city.  This  fine  enclosure  contains 
in  its  centre  a  statue  of  George  II.,  of  whose  predecessor  there  is  also 
one  opposite  the  Mansion  House  in  Dawson  Street.  The  square 
likewise  contains  a  recently  erected  statue  of  the  late  Lord  Eglinton, 
a  very  popular  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland. 

Immediately  south  of  the  Green,  on  Earlsfort  Terrace,  are  the 
buildings  and  ornamental  grounds,  15  acres  in  extent,  of  the 
Exhibition  Palace  and  Winter  Garden,  to  which  Dublin  is  indebted  to 
the  liberality  of  Sir  Arthur  Guinness  and  his  brother  (sons  of  the  bounti- 
ful regenerator  of  St.  Patrick's  Cathedral),  who  redeemed  them  from 
destruction,  upon  the  ruin  of  the  company  to  whom  they  originally 
belonged.*  The  palace  is  composed  of  stone,  iron,  and  glass,  and 
contains  large  and  small  concert  halls,  lecture  hall,  rehearsal  room, 
large  banquet  hall,  107  feet  by  30,  refreshment  rooms,  sculpture  court, 
and  extensive  picture  galleries.  The  pleasure  grounds  are  laid  out  in 
raised  and  sunken  terraces,  and  are  ornamented  with  a  cascade ;  while 
fountains,  surrounded  with  figure  groups,  decorate  both  the  interior 
of  the  buildings  and  the  grounds.  In  addition  to  the  permanent 
exhibition  of  arts  and  manufactures,  the  palace  is  sometimes  the  scene 
of  flower  shows  and  musical  entertainments  of  hicrh  class. 

The  first  great  international  exhibition  in  Dublin  was  held  in  1853, 
in  a  temporary  building  erected  in  Merrion  Square,  east  of  the  premises 
of  the  Royal  Dublin  Society;  and  a  full  length  figure  of  William  Dargan 
now  stands  as  a  fitting  memento  of  its  public-spirited  promoter  and 
benefactor  to  the  extent  of  ,£80,000,  and  who  declined  the  honor  of  a 
baronetcy  tendered  by  the  Queen.  Near  by  there  has  also  been  raised 
to  the  late  Prince  Consort,  who  is  credited  with  the  parentage  of 
international  exhibitions,  a  memorial  designed  by  Foley,  consisting  of  a 
shaft  surmounted  by  a  figure  of  the  Prince,  with  minor  figures  at  the 
corners  of  the  base. 

*  The  beautiful  structure  erected  as  a  "Crystal  Palace"  for  Dublin,  and  of  which  the  late  Sir 
Benjamin  Guinness  was  in  the  main  the  promoter,  was  opened  with  the  second  Dublin  international  exhibition, 
inaugurated  May  9th,  1865,  by  the  Prince  of  Wales,  and  was  subsequently  turned  into  a  Winter  Garden 
and  place  of  varied  entertainment,  similar  to  the  Crystal  Palace  near  London.  It  eventually,  as  above 
stated,  became  the  property  of  the  younger  Guinnesses,  who  not  only  nobly  offered  it  as  the  scene  of  the 
third  great  Dublin  exhibition,  opened  in  1872  by  the  Duke  of  Edinburgh,  but  undertook  to  supply  the 
necessary  funds  and  meet  any  deficiency  that  might  occur. 


24 


THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE   CITY   OF  DUBLIN. 

(CONTINUED.) 

Quays  of  the  Liffey — Kilmainham  Hospital — The  Bridges — The  Four  Courts — Queens  Inn — 
Royal  Exchange  or  City  Hall — Views  from  Carlisle  Bridge — Sackville  Street — Nelsons 
Pillar — Post  Office — Rotunda  and  Lying-in  Hospital — Statues  to  Smith  O'Brien  and 
O'Connell — Custom  House — North  and  South  Walls — Docks  and  Basins — Commerce  and 
Manufactures — Literary  and  Benevolent  Institutions — Railways — Eminent  Natives — Phoenix 
Park —  Wellington  Testimonial — People's  and  Zoological  Gardens —  Vice  Regal  Lodge — 
Origin  and  beauty  of  the  Park — The  "  Fifteen  Acres"  and  the  Good  Old  Days. 

IT  is  not  our  intention,  for  we  have  not  the  space  at  our  command, 
to  speak  of  all  the  public  buildings  and  valuable  institutions  with 
which  this  metropolis  is  embellished  ;  but  we  cannot  deny  ourselves  the 
pleasure  of  taking  a  stroll  with  our  readers  along  the  line  of  noble 
quays  which  stretch  east  and  west  through  the  centre  of  the  city,  from 
King's  Bridge  to  the  North  Wall  Lighthouse  on  the  northern  bank,  a 
distance  of  three  miles,  and  on  the  southern  bank  to  the  South  Wall 
Lighthouse,  a  distance  of  over  six  miles.  Travelers  who  have  only  seen 
the  busy  wharfs,  docks,  and  quays  of  other  seaport  towns,  black,  dirty, 
and  crowded  with  dingy-looking  warehouses,  can  scarcely  form  an  idea 
of  the  beauty  and  grandeur  of  the  banks  of  the  Liffey,  confined  by 
walls  and  parapets  of  hewn  stone,  which  extend  from  Phoenix  Park  on 
the  west,  and  passing  through  the  city  run  some  distance  into  the  bay 
on  the  east,  and  its  numerous  magnificent  bridges  connecting  the 
handsome  quays  that  extend  on  either  side  of  the  river. 

Leaving,  then,  behind  us  the  Sarah  and  King's  Bridges,  the  two  most 
westerly  of  the  nine  roadways  connecting  the  northern  and  southern 
portions  of  the  city,  and  a  railroad  bridge  (all  three  of  which  will  be 
referred  to  hereafter),  we  will  commence  at  the  castellated  entrance  to 


THE  BRIDGES  OVER  THE  LI F FEY. 


30 


'  the  Military  Road,  which  forms  an  agreeable  promenade  between  the 
Royal  Hospital*  at  Kilmainham  and  that  part  of  the  city  which  lies 
on  the  north  side  of  the  river.  As  we  proceed  in  an  easterly  direction 
on  the  southern  side  of  the  stream  along  Usher's  Island  and  Usher's 
Quay,  we  are  first  attracted  by  Victoria  Bridge,  of  four  semi-circular 
arches,  (lately  called  Barrack  Bridge  from  its  contiguity  to  the  Royal 
Barracks),  which  in  1858  replaced  one  of  wood,  known  as  the  Bloody 
Bridge.  Tradition  traces  the  ancient  title  of  this  bridge  to  a  sanguinary 
conflict  fought  in  its  vicinity  in  1408,  between  the  native  Irish  led  by 
a  chieftain  of  the  O'Kavanaghs  and  the  army  of  the  Pale  under  the 
command  of  the  Duke  of  Lancaster,  when  the  latter  was  mortally 
wounded  ;  and  it  is  said  the  river  ran  red  with  blood  for  three  days 
afterwards.  The  old  wooden  bridge  was,  shortly  after  its  erection 
in  1670,  also  the  scene  of  one  of  the  apprentice  riots,  by  no 
means  uncommon  at  that  period,  in  which  four  of  the  rioters  were 
killed. 

We  next  come  to  Queens  Bridge,  140  feet  long,  of  three  stone  arches, 
named  after  Queen  Charlotte,  and  erected  in  1 768,  on  the  site  previously 
occupied  by  Arran  Bridge,  built  in  1681,  and  swept  away  by  a  flood  in 
1 763.  Following  in  order  comes  Whitworth  Bridge,  connecting  two  of 
the  oldest  streets  in  Dublin — Church  Street  on  the  north,  and  Bridge 
Street  on  the  south  side  of  the  river.  It  is  a  very  handsome  structure  of 
three  arches,  and  was  erected  in  1816,  during  the  Lord-Lieutenantcy  of 
Earl  Whitworth,  after  whom  it  is  named.  It  replaced  the  most  ancient 
of  the  Dublin  bridges  (known  as  the  Old  or  Dublin)  swept  away  by  the 

*  This  institution  occupies  the  site  of  an  ancient  priory,  founded  in  1 1 74  by  Strongbow,  Earl  of 
Pembroke,  for  Knights  Templars.  The  present  hospital  was  instituted  by  Charles  II.  in  1679,  who  granted 
64  acres  of  ground  for  the  purpose,  and  for  its  erection  and  maintenance  ordered  sixpence  in  the  pound 
to  be  deducted  from  the  pay  of  all  military  men,  until  otherwise  provided  for  with  sufficient  support, 
which  was  afterwards  supplied  by  Parliament  in  1794.  The  present  edifice  was  erected  in  1683,  from 
designs  by  Sir  Christopher  Wren.  It  is  a  quadrangular  structure,  and  contains  in  its  dining  hall  many 
portraits  of  celebrities  of  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  centuries.  It  is,  like  Chelsea  Hospital,  an  asylum 
for  invalid  soldiers  and  officers,  (deserving  veterans  selected  from  the  out-pensioners  of  Ireland);  and  also 
the  residence  of  the  Commander  of  the  Forces  in  Ireland  and  his  official  staff.  In  Dublin  and  its 
vicinity  there  are  eight  extensive  barracks,  one  of  them  being  for  the  drilling  of  recruits  for  the  constabulary. 
The  number  of  troops  stationed  in  Ireland  is  generally  about  20,000,  while  the  constabulary  force  is  about 
12,000.  The  military  institutions  of  Dublin  also  comprise  the  Hibernia  Military  School,  for  the  education 
of  400  sons  of  soldiers  ;  the  Drummond  Institution  for  the  education  of  the  orphan  daughters  of  soldiers  ; 
the  Royal  Military  Infirmary,  etc. 
n.-33 


26 


THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN. 


flood  in  1812,  and  built  in  1427  by  the  Dominicans  "for  the  convenience 
of  their  school  at  Usher's  Island,"  to  replace  a  still  earlier  but  fallen 
structure,  erected  in  the  reign  of  King  John.  And  this  latter  was 
evidently  not  the  first  bridge,  as  upon  sinking  for  the  foundations  of  the 
present  bridge  those  of  its  predecessor  were  found  to  rest  upon  a  very 
ancient  structure,  supposed  to  have  been  built  even  before  that  of  King 
John's  reign.  Richmond  Bridge,  a  little  lower  down  the  stream,  was, 
like  the  two  last  named,  constructed  to  replace  a  predecessor  that  fell 
a  prey  to  the  turbulent  waters,  its  forerunner,  known  as  Ormond  Bridge, 
having  been  swept  away  in  1802.  The  present  structure,  commenced 
in  1 81 3,  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  ,£25,800,  and  opened  on  St.  Patrick's 
day,  1 816.  It  is  220  feet  long  and  52  broad,  and  consists  of  three 
arches  of  Portland  stone,  the  keystones  of  which  bear  colossal  heads 
representing  Peace,  Hibernia,  and  Commerce  on  the  one  side,  and  Plenty, 
the  Liffey,  and  Industry  on  the  other. 

The  space  on  the  north  of  the  Liffey  between  the  two  last  named 
bridges  is  occupied  by  The  Four  Courts,  a  noble  edifice,  presenting  a 
beautiful  portico  facing  the  river,  consisting  of  six  Corinthian  columns, 
supporting  a  pediment  ornamented  with  three  statues,  Moses  in  the 
centre,  flanked  by  Justice  and  Mercy.  At  the  two  extremities  of  the 
front  are  sitting  statues  of  Wisdom  and  Authority.  From  the  centre 
of  the  building  rises  a  circular  colonnade,  surmounted  by  a  handsome 
dome,  whose  massive  proportions  injure  the  effect  of  the  light  and 
elegant  portico  beneath.  The  arrangement  of  the  interior,  however,  is 
not  liable  to  the  same  objection  ;  for  the  great  circular  hall,  64  feet 
in  diameter,  and  having  situated  around  it  the  law  courts  and  offices, 
is  conspicuous  for  the  beauty  and  simplicity  of  its  design.  This  hall 
is  illuminated  by  jets  of  gas,  issuing  from  a  torch  borne  in  the  hands 
of  a  colossal  statue  of  Truth,  and  in  term  time  is  a  busy  scene,  as  it 
is  the  general  rendezvous  of  lawyers,  while  it  is  also  the  birthplace  of 
half  the  bon  mots,  epigrams,  and  witticisms  which  are  scattered  upon  the 
stream  of  Dublin  society.  From  this  hall,  each  occupying  an  angle  and 
being  uniform  in  size,  radiate  the  four  Superior  Courts — Chancery, 
Queen's  Bench,  Common  Pleas,  and  Exchequer — the  panels  over  whose 
entrances  exhibit  historical  pieces  in  bas-relief,  illustrative  of  four  great 
events  in  British  history  ;   while  the  great  central  apartment  is  further 


» 


THE  FOUR  COURTS  AND  QUEEN'S  INN. 


27 


decorated  with  colossal  allegorical  statues  of  Punishment,  Eloquence, 
Mercy,  Prudence,  Law,  Wisdom,  Justice,  and  Liberty,  situated  between 
the  windows  of  the  dome,  and  with  a  statue  of  Sir  M.  O'Loghlen,  by 
M'Dowell.  Minor  courts  and  offices  occupy  the  wings  of  this  vast 
edifice,  which  is  erected  on  the  site  of  a  decayed  Dominican  monastery. 
It  was  constructed  at  a  cost  of  ,£200,000,  and  was  commenced  in  1 786, 
under  the  superintendence  of  the  architect,  Thomas  Cooley,  who,  previous 
to  his  death,  resigned  the  task  to  James  Gandon,  by  whom  it  was 
completed  in  1800,  just  in  time  for  the  consummation  of  the  Union. 
The  facade  of  the  building  facing  the  river  is  450  feet  in  length,  and 
occupies  a  central  position  between  the  bridges,  two  of  the  handsomest 
spanning  the  Liffey.  These  bridges,  with  King's  Inn  Quay  wall 
between  them,  are  finished  with  a  fine  metal  balustrade  that  seems  to  place 
the  building,  when  viewed  from  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river,  on  a 
magnificent  terrace  of  800  feet  in  length.* 

Continuing  our  course  down  the  river  we  find  it  next  crossed  by 
Grattan  Bridge,  built  in  1874  by  the  Dublin  Port  and  Docks  Board, 
and  having  a  roadway  of  50  feet,  and  pathways  of  12  feet  each.  It 
received  its  present  appellation  on  January  1st,  1875,  lis  predecessors 
havino-  each  been  known  as  Essex  Bridge.  The  first  of  these  was  erected 
in  1676,  during  the  viceroyalty  of  Arthur,  Earl  of  Essex,  but  its 
foundations  decaying,  it  was  supplanted  in  1756  by  a  second  bridge  of 
five  arches,  (on  the  exact  model  of  old  Westminster  Bridge),  which,  in 
its  turn,  has  now  given  way  to  a  more  modern  edifice.  Grattan  Bridge 
affords  a  communication  between  Capel  Street  on  the  north  to 
Parliament    Street  on  the    south    side,  and    leads    in    a    direct    line  to 

*  Previous  to  their  removal  to  the  present  edifice,  the  Courts  of  Law  were  from  a  remote  period 
situated  in  Christ  Church  Lane,  with  the  exception  of  the  Courts  of  Common  Pleas  and  Exchequer,  which, 
strange  enough,  in  the  reign  of  Edward  III.  were  held  in  Carlow.  The  courts  are  now  almost  entirely 
consolidated  in  this  locality,  the  exception  being  the  Queen's  Inn,  fronting  Constitution  Hill,  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  city.  In  this  latter  are  held  the  Consistorial,  Probate,  and  Prerogative  Courts ;  and 
in  its  large  dining  hall  the  Irish  law  student  is  required  to  eat  his  regulation  dinners  in  order  to  be 
entitled  to  become  a  member  of  the  Irish  Bar,  after  the  manner  of  the  be-wigged  and  be-gowned  gentry 
of  the  British  Metropolis.  Queen's  Inn  was  erected  at  the  close  of  the  last  century,  and  is  an  imposing 
edifice,  consisting  of  a  centre  and  two  wings,  surmounted  by  an  octagonal  cupola.  The  large  dining  hall 
contains  many  statues  and  paintings,  while  a  library,  added  in  1827,  at  a  cost  of  ,£20,000,  offers  many 
advantages  to  the  plodding  student.  Dublin  did  not  possess  an  inn  of  court  until  the  reign  of  Edward  I., 
when  Collet's  Inn  was  established :  this  was  followed  by  Preston's  Inn,  but  both  were  eventually  pulled 
down,  and  their  societies  were  compelled  to  migrate. 


28 


THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN. 


the  Royal  Exchange,  at  the  foot  of  the  latter,  and  to  the  Castle,  just 
beyond. 

The  Royal  Exchange,  now  the  City  Hall,  is  situated  on  Cork  Hill, 
at  the  head  of  Dame  Street,  and  commands  from  the  portico  of  its 
northern  or  principal  front  a  view  of  Parliament  Street,  Grattan  Bridge, 
and  Capel  Street  beyond.  The  form  of  this  superb  edifice  is  nearly 
a  square  of  one  hundred  feet,  having  three  ^beautiful  fronts  of  Portland 
stone  in  the  Corinthian  style,  that  on  the  north  having  a  portico  of  six 
columns,  and  that  on  the  west  one  of  four  columns.  The  building  is 
surrounded  at  the  top  by  a  handsome  balustrade,  except  where  it  is 
interrupted  by  the  pediment  on  the  north  side.  Owing  to  the  acclivity 
upon  which  it  stands,  the  entrance  at  the  end  where  the  ground  is 
lowest  is  approached  by  a  kind  of  terrace  protected  by  a  light  metal 
balustrade  supported  by  rustic-work.'"'  The  interior  of  the  edifice  is  even 
more  remarkable  for  architectural  beauty  than  the  exterior;  and  the  effect 
produced  upon  the  spectator  when  he  enters  is  strikingly  impressive. 
Twelve  fluted  pillars  of  the  composite  order,  thirty-two  feet  high,  are 
circularly  disposed  in  the  centre  of  a  square  area,  and  covered  by  a  highly 
enriched  entablature,  above  which  is  a  beautiful  cylindrical  lantern,  about 
ten  feet  high,  perforated  with  twelve  circular  windows  ornamented  with 
festoons  of  laurel  leaves  ;  the  whole  crowned  with  a  handsome  spherical 
dome,  divided  into  hexagonal  compartments,  enriched  and  well-propor- 
tioned, and  lighted  from  the  centre  by  a  large  circular  skylight.  Opposite 
to  the  north  entrance  is  a  statue,  by  Roubillac,  of  George  III.  in  a 
Roman  military  costume.  On  the  stairs  in  the  northwestern  angle  of 
the  building  is  one,  by  Edward  Smith,  of  Dr.  Lucas,  through  whose 
exertions  in  Parliament  a  grant  was  obtained  to  aid  in  the  erection  of 
the  building.  The  other  statues  are  a  finely  executed  one,  by  Chantrey, 
of  Henry  Grattan ;  one  by  Hogan,  of  O'Connell ;  and  one  of  Thomas 
Drummond,  formerly  Under-Secretary  for  Ireland.  The  first  stone 
was  laid  August  2,  1769,  by  Lord  Townsend,  then  Lord-Lieutenant  of 
Ireland,  and  the  building  occupied  ten  years  in  erection.  It  is  from 
the   design    of  Thomas  Cooley,  architect   of  the    Four  Courts,  and  is 

*  On  the  24th  of  April,  1814,  a  vast  crowd  having  assembled  to  witness  the  whipping  of  a  sweep 
who  had  caused  the  death  of  his  apprentice  by  cruelty,  the  balustrade  gave  way,  and  numbers  were 
precipitated  into  the  street ;  several  persons  were  killed  on  the  spot,  and  others  seriously  injured. 


WELLINGTON  AND  CARLISLE  BRIDGES. 


29 


generally  considered,  next  to  the  Bank  of  Ireland,  the  handsomest 
edifice  in  Dublin.* 

Resuming  our  route  along  the  quays,  we  pass  Wellington  Bridge, 
so  named  after  the  "  Iron  Duke,"  a  light,  handsome  metal  structure, 
spanning  the  river  by  a  single  arch  of  240  feet.  It  was  erected  in 
1 81 6,  at  an  expense  of  ^3000,  by  two  private  individuals,  for  foot 
passengers  only,  who  pay  a  toll  of  one  halfpenny  each,  and  to  whom  it 
is  a  great  accommodation,  in  consequence  of  the  extent  of  space  inter- 
vening between  the  bridges  next  above  and  below.  Carlisle  Bridge 
follows,  and  is  not  only  at  present  the  lowest  of  the  bridges  on  the 
Liffey,  but  forms  the  limit  of  navigation,  vessels  of  considerable  burden 
being  able  to  come  close  up  to  it  at  high  water.  The  old  bridge 
was  a  handsome  structure,  composed  of  three  arches  of  cut  stone,  and 
was  commenced  in  1782,  during  the  vice-royalty  of  the  fifth  Earl  of 
Carlisle,  from  designs  by  James  Gandon,  the  architect  of  the  Corinthian 
front  to  the  Bank  of  Ireland  ;  and,  though  it  was  afterwards  consider- 
ably widened  by  the  Dublin  Port  and  Docks  Board,  it  has  been  found 
necessary  to  rebuild  it  on  an  enlarged  scale,  in  order  to  accommodate 
the  increasing  traffic,  as  it  connects  the  two  leading  thoroughfares  of 
Sackville  Street  and  Westmoreland  Street,  and  is  situated  in  the  heart 
of  the  metropolis.  It  is  intended  to  make  the  new  bridge  the  same 
width  as  those  two  noble  boulevards,  and  when  completed  it  will  make 
the  main  artery  of  the  city  one  of  the  finest  in  the  world. 

The  panorama  of  the  river  and  the  city  which  encircles  the  spectator 
on  Carlisle  Bridge,  is,  with  perhaps  the  single  exception  of  that  from 
Waterloo  Bridge,  London,  unequalled  in  grandeur  and  beauty  by  any 
similar  view  that  can  be  obtained  in  any  other  European  city.  Glancing 
northward,  we  have  Sackville  Street,  extending  its  full  perspective  of 
architectural  beauty,   uninterrupted,  save  by  the  memorial  of  the  brave 

*  The  Royal  Exchange  was  built  by  means  of  a  lottery,  established  and  conducted  by  the  merchants 
of  Dublin,  which  produced  ,£65,000.  Before  the  assimilation  of  the  English  and  Irish  currency,  'Change  was 
held  in  it  three  times  a  week,  when  considerable  transactions  took  place  in  English  bills,  but  few  in 
merchandise,  the  dealing  in  which  was  generally  effected  at  the  Commercial  Buildings,  Dame  Street. 
Eventually  monetary  business  between  England  and  foreign  ports  became  monopolized  by  the  banks,  and 
•"or  a  time  the  building  was  handed  over  to  the  Commissioners  of  Bankruptcy,  whose  duties  in  due  course 
became  absorbed  by  the  Court  of  Bankruptcy.  Then,  with  the  exception  of  an  occasional  public  meeting 
held  in  it,  silence  and  solitude  reigned  in  the  Royal  Exchange  for  many  years,  till  in  1852  it  was  purchased 
by  the  Corporation  of  Dublin  and  converted  into  a  City  Hall. 


30 


f 

THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN. 


Nelson,  which  rises  boldly  from  its  centre,  and  with  the  facade  of  the 
Post  Office  and  the  corner  of  the  Rotunda  both  in  view.  Turning-  to 
the  south,  we  look  down  Westmoreland  Street,  with  the  view  terminated 
by  Trinity  College,  and  the  noble  Corinthian  portico  of  the  Bank  of 
Ireland.  Westward,  the  eye  wanders  up  the  Liffey,  bordered  by  its  noble 
quays  and  crossed  by  its  many  bridges,  and  encompasses  the  towers  of 
St.  Patrick's  and  Christ  Church  and  the  dome  of  the  Four  Courts, 
with  the  Wellington  obelisk  towering  aloft  from  Phoenix  Park  in  the 
distance.  And  then  facing  eastward,  we  have  the  magnificent  Custom 
House  and  again  the  river,  but  here  alive  with  shipping  to  the  extremity 
of  the  north  wall. 

Let  us  walk  up  Sackville  Street,  a  broad  and  noble  thoroughfare. 
Nelsons  Monument  attracts  us  at  every  step.  It  was  erected  at  a  cost 
of  ^6856,  raised  by  public  subscription  among  the  Irish  admirers  of  the 
hero  of  Trafalgar.  It  is  a  fluted  column  with  a  capital  of  the  Tuscan 
order,  121  feet  high,  surmounted  by  a  statue  of  the  naval  hero,  13  feet 
high,  by  Thomas  Kirk,  a  native  sculptor.  An  interior  spiral  staircase 
leads  to  the  summit  of  the  pillar,  where,  from  a  safely-railed  platform, 
a  most  magnificent  view  is  obtained  of  the  city  and  its  surroundings, 
extending  to  the  Mourne  Mountains  in  the  County  Down  at  the  north, 
the  flat  lands  of  Meath  and  Kildare  on  the  west,  the  mountains  of 
Wicklow  on  the  south,  and  Dublin  Bay  with  the  Irish  Sea  beyond 
to  the  eastward.  Nelson's  Pillar  is  the  central  or  starting  point  of 
several  tramways  or  street  railroads,  the  cars  of  which  branch  off 
in  various  directions. 

Close  to  the  pillar,  and  on  the  western  side  of  Sackville  Street, 
stands  the  General  Post  Office,  erected  in  1815,  from  designs  by  Francis 
Johnston,  at  a  cost  of  ,£50,000.  It  is  a  handsome  granite  structure, 
having  a  portico  of  Portland  stone,  consisting  of  a  pediment  bearing 
the  royal  arms,  supported  by  six  massive  Ionic  columns,  and  surmount- 
ed by  three  finely-executed  figures  of  Hibernia,  Mercury,  and  Fidelity. 
The  building  is  223  feet  in  length,  150  feet  in  depth,  and  50  feet  in 
height,  and  is  well  adapted  for  postal  purposes.  The  old  General 
Post  Office  was  situated  in  College  Green,  and  after  the  removal  of 
the  business  converted  into  an  arcade. 

Some  little  distance,  further,  and  at  the  extremity  of  Upper  Sackville 


THE  ROTUNDA  AND  LYING-IN-HOSPITAL. 


31 


Street,  in  Rutland  Square,  stands  the  Rotunda,  a  fine  series  of  rooms 
used  for  public  meetings,  balls,  and  concerts  ;  and  connected  with  and 
adjoining  the  Lying-in- Hospital,  an  elegant  building,  having  a  Doric 
facade  flanked  by  Tuscan  colonnades  terminated  by  porticoes.  The 
latter  institution  was  founded  in  1751,  and  is  supported  by  profits 
obtained  from  the  rental  of  the  former,  and  an  annual  government  grant 
°f  £5°° !  anc'  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  its  handsome  building  has  not 
been  placed  a  little  to  the  eastward  so  as  to  have  terminated  the  vista 
of  Sackville  Street,  a  desideratum  that  would  have  been  effected,  but  for 
a  quarrel  between  the  founder  and  the  owner  of  the  ground,  Lord 
Mountjoy.  The  Rotunda  is,  on  the  contrary,  peculiar  and  not  remark- 
ably elegant  in  its  external  appearance ;  but  in  the  extent  and  accom- 
modation of  its  interior  it  is  particularly  well  adapted  for  the  purposes  to 
which  it  is  designed,  and  for  balls,  is  perhaps  even  now,  unsurpassed 
by  any  other  building  in  Europe.  It  possesses  a  ball-room  86  feet, 
card-room  66  feet,  tea-room  54  feet,  hall  40  feet,  grand  supper-room 
86  feet,  minor  supper-room  54  feet,  waiting-room  36  feet,  four  dressing- 
rooms  20  feet  each,  servants'  hall  40  feet,  vestibule  20  feet  in  length, 
and  all  of  proportionate  widths,  together  with  an  extensive  range  of 
kitchen  apartments  and  other  offices." 

Retracing  our  steps  through  Sackville  Street,  and  returning  to  the 
Carlisle  Bridge,  we  have  close  to  its  southern  end,  at  the  junction  of 
Westmoreland  and  D'Olier  Streets,  a  recently  erected  and  faithful 
statue  of  William  Smith  O'Brien,  one  of  the  Irish  patriots  who  were 
convicted  of  high  treason  in  1848,  but  'who  eventually  received  a  full 
pardon  and  spent  the  latter  years  of  his  life  in  his  villa  at  Killiney, 
avoiding  political  turmoil  and  the  storms  engendered  by  party  spirit. 
The  statue  is  from  the  chisel  of  Mr.  Farrell,  and  is  remarkable  alike 
for  the  gracefulness  of  the  figure,  and  for  the  quality  of  the  marble 
with  which  it  is  portrayed.      In  the  course  of  a  few  years  there  is  to 

*  Formerly,  when  the  nobility  and  gentry  of  Ireland  had  their  town  residences  in  Dublin,  the  sub- 
scription-balls, card-assemblies,  and  masquerades  of  the  Rotunda,  were  regularly  and  fashionably  attended 
throughout  the  winter ;  and  the  public  promenades  on  the  terrace  of  its  ornamental  gardens,  formed  in 
summer  unfailing  attractions  to  the  lovers  of  pleasure.  The  promenades  alone  have  survived  as  a  regular 
entertainment.  On  certain  evenings  in  the  week,  during  the  summer  season,  the  gardens  are  still  open  to 
the  public,  when  the  terrace  is  illuminated,  and  one  or  more  military  bands  contribute  to  the  gaiety  of 
.he  scene. 


32 


THE  CITY  OE  DUBLIN. 


be  erected  near  the  northern  or  Sackville  Street  end  of  the  bridge,  a 

o 

grand  national  testimonial  to  O'Connell,  at  a  cost  of  ,£12,000,  raised 
by  the  subscriptions  of  the  Great  Repealer's  friends.  It  is  from  the 
design  of  John  H.  Foley,  who  declared  that  the  work  would  consume 
ten  years  in  its  construction,  and,  dying  during  its  progress,  has  left 
it  to  be  completed  by  his  representatives. 

The  Custom  House,  on  Eden  Quay,  north  of  the  Liffey,  and  a  little 
east  of  Carlisle  Bridge ;  is  another  of  the  magnificent  structures  erected 
in  Dublin  toward  the  close  of  the  last  century.  Its  great  defect, 
however,  is  that  it  is  situated  so  close  to  the  water's  edge  that  the 
spectator  is  unable  to  see  to  advantage  the  noble  front  it  presents 
on  that  side.  When  viewed,  as  Sir  Richard  Hoare  observes,  from 
the  opposite  bank  of  the  river,  it  has  a  very  striking  effect  ;  and 
combined  with  the  numerous  shipping  immediately  adjoining,  reminds  one 
strongly  of  those  subjects  which  the  painter  Canaletti  selected  for  his 
pencil  at  Venice.  The  building  was  designed  by  James  Gandon,  and 
it  took  ten  years  for  its  construction,  having  been  completed  in  1791, 
at  a  cost  of  ,£255,000,  being  about  ^90,000  in  excess  of  the  original 
estimate.  It  forms  a  quadrangle,  375  feet  by  209,  and  being  completely 
insulated  presents  four  fronts  which  are  variously  designed.  The  edifice 
is  described  in  a  work  on  the  "  Maritime  Ports  of  Ireland,"  as  being 
"  composed  of  pavilions  at  each  end  joined  by  arcades  and  united  in 
the  centre.  The  pavilions  are  terminated  with  the  arms  of  Ireland  in 
a  shield  decorated  with  fruits  and  flowers,  and  supported  by  a  lion  and 
unicorn.  The  centre  presents  a  group  of  figures,  two  of  which  represent 
England  and  Ireland  embracing,  and  holding  in  their  hands  emblems  of 
peace  and  liberty ;  they  are  seated  in  a  naval  car  drawn  by  sea-horses 
and  followed  by  a  fleet  of  merchant  ships  from  all  nations.  On  the 
right  of  Britannia  is  Neptune  expelling  Envy  and  Discord.  On  the 
attic  are  placed  allegorical  statues  alluding  to  Navigation,  Commerce, 
Industry,  and  Riches.  A  magnificent  dome,  125  feet  high,  rises  in  the 
centre,  with  a  pedestal  on  which  is  placed  a  statue,  sixteen  feet  high,  of 
Hope  resting  on  her  anchor.  The  key-stones  of  the  arches  are  decorated 
with  colossal  heads,  emblematic  of  the  principal  rivers  and  provinces  of 
Ireland,  and  are  executed  in  a  bold  and  masterly  style  by  E.  Smyth, 
a  native  artist.     The   south  front  is  composed   of  Portland  stone,  the 


THE  DOCKS  AND  SHIPPING  TRADE. 


33 


other  three  of  white  granite.  Over  the  central  columns  of  the  north 
front  are  four  statues,  representing  Europe,  Asia,  Africa,  and  America. 
The  great  staircase,  with  its  Ionic  colonnade,  unites  taste  with  grandeur 
and  novelty  of  design.  The  long  room  is  seventy  feet  long,  sixty-five 
wide,  and  thirty  in  height.  The  simple  arrangement  of  all  its  interior 
parts  contributes  to  the  general  and  pleasing  effect  of  light  and  shade, 
which  harmonize  the  whole."  At  the  consolidation  of  all  the  different 
Boards  of  Customs  into  a  general  department  in  London,  this  building 
became  nearly  empty  ;  however,  such  parts  of  it  as  are  not  now 
required  for  the  collection  of  the  customs  of  the  port,  are  appropriated 
to  offices  for  the  Poor  Law  Commissioners,  Board  of  Public  Works, 
and  Inland  Revenue. 

A  new  bridge,  constructing  across  the  Liffey  below  the  Custom 
House,  will  afford  facilities  to  the  commercial  traffic  passing  between 
the  north  and  the  south  of  the  river.  It  will  extend  the  number  of 
bridges  uniting  the  two  portions  of  the  city  to  ten ;  but,  unlike  the 
other  nine,  it  will  be  an  open  bridge  to  permit  the  passage  of  vessels 
desirous  of  frequenting  the  quays  between  it  and  Carlisle  Bridge. 

The  North  Wall,  or  that  part  of  the  granite-faced  quays  which 
extends  for  a  mile  to  the  east  of  the  Custom  House,  with  a  lighthouse 
at  the  extremity,  is  the  portion  of  the  city  mainly  devoted  to  the 
shipping  and  export  trade.  Here  are  the  Spencer  Basin,  several  exten- 
sive docks  and  warehouses,  the  freight  and  goods  termini  of  the  Royal 
Canal  and  of  the  Midland  Great  Western  Railway,  principally  devoted 
to  the  exportation  of  cattle  brought  from  the  interior,  graving 
docks,  and  extensive  ship  building  yards.  The  London  and  North- 
western Railway  has  also  recently  erected  here,  for  the  convenience  of 
travelers  to  and  from  England,  a  station  for  the  North  Wall  Extension 
Railway,  which  connects  with  all  the  lines  leaving  Dublin  except  those 
to  Wicklow,  and,  after  running  around  the  northern  part  of  the  city, 
passes  under  the  Zoological  Gardens  in  Phoenix  Park,  and  crosses  the 
Liffey  by  a  bridge  near  Kilmainham  Hospital.  The  shipping  trade  of 
Dublin,  which  some  thirty  or  forty  years  ago  was  very  depressed,  has 
increased  enormously  of  late  years.  So  much  so,  indeed,  that  new 
docks  and  quays  are  in  course  of  construction,  beyond  the  present 
terminus  of  the  North  Wall  and  further  into  the  bay,  to  meet  the 
n.— 34 


34  THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN. 

steadily  developing  trade.  The  St.  Georges  Docks  were  among  the 
earliest  constructed  on  this  side  of  the  river,  and  were  opened  by 
George  IV.  on  his  visit  to  Ireland  in  182 1.  Previous  to  their  forma- 
tion, however,  there  were  most  extensive  accommodations  for  shipping 
at  Ringsend,  on  the  southern  bank  of  the  Liffey,  opposite  the  North 
Wall  Lighthouse,  and  where  the  waters  of  the  Dodder  and  the  Grand 
Canal  empty  into  the  river.  The  Great  Basin  and  docks  at  this  point 
were  long  considered  the  finest  and  most  extensive  in  Europe.  They 
occupy  a  space  of  35  acres,  of  which  26  are  covered  with  water  16 
feet  deep.  The  Great  Basin  is  3015  feet  long  and  360  feet  average 
breadth,  and  is  capable  of  containing  300  sail  of  square-rigged  vessels. 
The  upper  basin  is  2000  feet  long,  and  capable  of  affording  proportionate 
accommodation.*  New  and  extensive  outer  docks  have  lately  been  added 
to  these  basins. 

The  southern  of  the  two  solid  stone  causeways  which  confine  the 
Liffey  up  to  this  point,  and  which  were  erected  for  the  purpose  of 
keeping  the  channel  free  from  the  sands  accumulating  on  the  flat  shores 
of  the  bay  at  the  embouchure  of  the  river,  continues  lor  a  distance 
of  three  and  a  half  miles  in  a  straight  line  into  the  bay.  This 
extension,  having  for  its  purpose  the  guarding  of  the  harbor  against 
the  encroachments  of  the  "South  Bull"  sands,  is  known  as  the 
South  Wall,  and  bears  on  its  extremity  a  fine  lighthouse  ;  while  half- 
way is  the  Pigeon  House  Fort  and  Arsenal,  and  a  basin  which  was 
much  in  request  prior  to  the  formation  of  those  at  Howth  and  Kings- 
town. This  wall  was  commenced  in  1748,  took  seven  years  to  complete, 
is  from  32  to  40  feet  in  breadth,  stands  five  feet  above  high-water 
mark,  and  is  formed  of  large  blocks  of  mountain  granite,  cemented 
and  strengthened  with  iron  cramps.  To  protect  the  harbor  against  the 
sands  of  the  opposite  shore,  or  those  of  the  "  North  Bull,"  another 
work,  called  the  Bull  Wall,  has  recently  been  erected,  having  its  base 
at  Dollymount,f  and  extending  in  a  south-easterly  direction  to  within  a 
few  hundred   yards   of  the  South  Wall  Lighthouse.      The  North  and 

s  The  Great  Basin  was  opened  April  23d,  1796.  The  "Dorset"  yacht,  bearing  the  Earl  Camden, 
and  numerous  other  craft,  decorated  with  flags,  entered  it  from  the  Grand  Canal,  amid  discharges  of 
cannon,  and  in  the  presence  of  60,000  spectators. 

f  The  sands  at  Dollymount  have  in  late  years  been  the  scene  of  many  well-contested  shooting  matches, 
uotable  among  which  may  be  mentioned  that  between  the  Irish  and  American  Teams  in  1875. 


COMMERCE  AND  MANUFACTURES. 


35 


South  Bull  are  large  sand-banks  at  each  side  of  the  entrance  to  the 
channel,  and  receive  their  peculiar  appellation  from  the  almost  constant 
roaring  of  the  billows  over  them. 

The  indefatigable  exertions  for  many  years  of  the  "  Dublin  Port 
and  Docks  Board"  have  so  increased  the  facilities  of  the  port  that 
vessels  can  now  enter  it  at  all  times.  This  has  been  accomplished  by 
deepening  the  water  along  the  quays,  and  by  reducing  the  bar  so  that  it 
now  presents  eighteen  feet  at  low  water,  instead  of  seven  feet  as  in 
1830.  The  result  has  been  the  increase  of  tonnage  of  oversea  vessels 
trading  to  the  port  from  74,688  in  1857  to  312,798  in  1877;  and  that 
of  coasters  trading  between  Dublin  and  the  ports  of  the  British  Isles, 
from  880,844  m  1857  to  1, 193,731  in  1877;  and  the  consequent  increase 
of  income  derivable  from  dues  on  shipping  from  ,£26,702  to  ,£60,250. 
Though  steam  was  in  operation  from  the  port  since  1816,  it  was  not 
applied  to  the  transmission  of  goods  until  1824;  and  now  a  large  fleet  of 
steamers  arrive  at  and  depart  from  the  Dublin  quays,  there  being  com- 
munications thrice  daily  with  Holyhead,  daily  with  Liverpool  and  Glasgow, 
and  once  or  twice  a  week  with  London,  and  the  southern  English  ports 
the  Isle  of  Man,  Bristol,  Cork,  Waterford,  Belfast,  Whitehaven,  etc. 

The  Irish  metropolis  has  in  its  time  obtained  some  celebrity  for 
its  manufactures,  but  these,  in  great  measure,  it  has  been  compelled 
to  resign  to  more  successful  rivals.  Immediately  before  the  prohibitory 
laws  passed  in  the  reign  of  William  III  ,  the  woolen  trade,  which  had 
been  conducted  with  considerable  success  for  some  centuries  in  that 
part  of  the  city  called  the  Liberties,*  gained  the  zenith  of  its  popularity, 

*  The  district  called  the  "Liberties"  occupies  the  extreme  south-west  corner  of  the  city.  After  the 
capitulation  of  Limerick  in  1791,  a  number  of  English  manufacturers  settled  in  it,  built  Weaver  Square,  as 
well  as  the  Combe,  Pimlico,  Spitalfields,  and  other  streets,  named  from  corresponding  places  in  London, 
and  it  soon  became  the  abode  of  opulence  and  respectability,  with  its  Theatre  Royal  in  Rainsford  Street. 
In  Thomas  Street  was  the  Earl  of  Meath's  mansion,  deemed  by  Sir  W.  Petty  next  in  magnificence  to 
the  Castle  of  Dublin  ;  while  the  Duke  of  Leinster  selected  the  precinct  for  his  proposed  family  mansion. 
It  is  stated  that  during  the  time  of  the  revived  trade,  at  the  close  of  the  last  and  the  commencement 
of  the  present  century,  the  "Liberties"  presented  a  bustling  scene,  fully  40,000  people  being  employed  in 
its  manufactories.  It  was  in  Thomas  Street  that,  in  1798,  the  gallant  and  unhappy  Lord  Edward  Fitzgerald  was 
arrested  for  high-treason,  and  on  the  occasion  received  wounds  of  which  he  shortly  afterwards  died  in  Newgate 
Prison.  In  this  street,  also,  in  1803,  Lord  Kilwarden  and  his  nephew,  the  Rev.  Richard  Wolfe,  were  dragged  from 
their  carriage  and  murdered  by  an  infuriated  mob  during  the  insurrection  of  Robert  Emmet.  Notwithstanding 
the  high,  airy,  and  salubrious  position  of  the  "  Liberties,"  the  tide  of  wealthy  population  has  long  since  set  to  the 
flat  lands  of  the  east,  and  thus  by  a  strange  perversion  of  taste  the  poor  are  now  left  to  become  the  sole  occupants. 


3^ 


THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN. 


and  the  district  became  the  residence  of  many  wealthy  manufacturers. 
These  arbitrary  acts,  however,  ruined  the  trade,  and  an  attempt  to  resusci- 
tate it  toward  the  close  of  the  last  century  proved  only  transitory.  The 
manufacture  of  silk  was  introduced  by  French  Huguenots  in  1685,  tnat  °f 
linen  somewhat  later,  and  that  of  cotton  in  1 761,  but  none  of  them  took 
very  deep  root.  For  the  fabrication,  however,  of  poplins,  a  mixture  of 
wool  and  silk,  Dublin  has  been  justly  famed.  This  trade,  though  also 
introduced  by  the  Huguenots,  did  not  assume  a  degree  of  importance  until 
about  the  year  1780;  but  during  the  present  century  it  too  has  rapidly 
declined,  in  consequence  of  the  abolition  of  protective  duties,  and  the 
competition  of  rival  producers.  Yet  Dublin  continues  to  possess  many 
tanneries,  foundries,  distilleries,  breweries,  etc,,  some  of  whose  productions 
are  of  world-wide  reputation— for  who  is  there  that  has  not  either  heard 
of,  or  possesses  a  personal  acquaintance  with,  "  Guinness'  Brown  Stout," 
"  Kinahan's  L.  L.  Whiskey,"  and  that  particularly  pungent  nasal  irritant, 
"Irish  Blackguard?" 

In  the  various  walks  of  literature,  science,  and  art,  Dublin  possesses 
many  institutions  besides  those  to  which  we  have  been  accompanied  by 
the  kind  reader,  and  of  which  our  space  only  allows  us  to  make  brief 
mention.    These  are  the  Museum  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy,  Dawson 
Street,  devoted  to   Irish  history  and    antiquities ;  the   Royal  College  of 
Sciences  for  Ireland,  established  in    1867,  east  side  of  Stephen's  Green, 
containing  geological,  mineralogical,  and  chemical  specimens,  illustrating  the 
economic   resources    of  the   country ;    the   National  Gallery   of  Ireland, 
opened  in    1864,  north   side  of  Leinster  Lawn,  devoted  to  works  of  the 
fine  arts   in   sculpture  and  painting;  the  Royal  Hibernian  Academy,  near 
Sackville   Street,  in    which    an    exhibition    of  painting   and  sculpture  is 
annually  held — all  of  which  are  more  or  less  supported  by  Parliamentary 
grants.    Also,  Mars/is,  or  St.  Patrick's  Library,  a  very  ancient  institution, 
open  to  all,  situated  near  St.  Patrick's  Cathedral,  and  containing  about 
18,000  volumes,  including  the  whole    of  the   collection   of  Stillingfleet, 
Bishop  of  Worcester,  placed  there  by  Archbishop   Marsh   in   1694;  the 
Royal  College  of  Surgeons,  on   Stephen's  Green,  possessing  an  excellent 
anatomical    museum.    While   in    the  field    of  charity   we   may  mention 
Stevens  Hospital,  City  Hospital,  Sir  Patrick  Dunns,  Simpsons,  Mercer s, 
and  Swift's  Hospitals,  Richmond  Lunatic  Asylum,  and  many  others,  for 


E.VIXEX  T  XA  TI J  ES 


37 


Dublin    is   extremely  well  provided  with  benevolent  institutions  of  all 

The  metropolis  also  possesses  five  Railway  Stations,  viz.,  the  Great 
Northern,  in  Amiens  Street,  the  most  elegant  in  an  architectural  point 
of  view :  the  Midland  Great  Western,  at  Broadstone ;  the  Great  Southern 
and  Western,  at  Kingsbridge  ;  the  Bray  and  Wicklow,  in  Harcourt  Street  ; 
and  the  Kingstown,  at  Westland  Row.  The  traveling  community  has  also 
ample  accommodation  in  numerous  hotels,  while  many  excellent  clubs 
administer  to  the  social  comforts  of  the  leading  citizens. 

Dublin  can  lay  claim  to  being  the  birthplace  of  many  persons  of  note, 
while  many  others  of  eminence  have  made  it  their  temporary  residence. 
Among  its  sons  we  may  name,  with  respective  dates  of  birth.  Richard 
Stanihurst.  1548.  and  Archbishop  Usher.  1580,  historians  ;  James  Ware, 
1594,  antiquarian  ;  William  Molyneux,  1656,  mathematician  ;  Jonathan  Swift, 
1667.  Dean  of  St.  Patrick's;  Spranger  Barry,  1719,  actor;  Isaac  Bickerstaff. 
1732,  dramatist;  Sir  Philip  Francis.  1740.  the  reputed  author  of  "Junius"; 
Edward  Malone.  1741,  critic  and  antiquarian;  John  Fitzgibbon.  1749,  Earl 
of  Clare;  Henry  Grattan.  1750.  statesman;  Leonard  MacXally,  1752. 
dramatist;  John  Hickey.  1756.  sculptor;  Arthur  Wellesley.  1769.  Duke  of 
Wellington;  Thomas  Moore.  1779.  the  national  poet;  Robert  Emmet,  17S0, 
Irish  patriot;  Samuel  Lover,  1797.  poet  and  novelist;  Charles  Lever,  1S06. 
novelist :  Richard  Chevenix  Trench,  1807,  Archbishop  of  Dublin  ;  Michael 
William  Balfe,  1S08,  musical  composer;  and  John  Henry  Foley.  R.  A.. 
1S1S.  sculptor.  It  is  also  not  without  celebrity  as  a  literary  centre,  for. 
independent  of  several  well-conducted  daily  and  weekly  newspapers,  it 
sends  forth  monthly  and  quarterly  periodicals  of  high  character,  while  it 
possesses  many  enterprising  publishers  whose  presses  are  continually 
adding  to  the  stores  of  knowledge. 

The  broad  streets,  the  numerous  and  extensive  squares,  and  the  wide 
avenue  formed  by  the  passage  of  the  limpid  Liffey.  would  seem  to  aftord 
to  Dublin  sufficient  opportunities  for  the  free  circulation  of  air,  and  many 
a  place  of  equal  magnitude  would  thank  its  stars  if  in  like  manner 
blessed.  But,  beyond  these  sanitary  advantages,  it  possesses  on  its  north- 
wes:  a  capacious  lung  of  which  any  metropolis  might  be  proud.  To  visit 
Dublin  without  taking  a  drive  through  PJuzyiix  Park,  would  be  consid- 
ered somewhat  tantamount  to  "'doing"  Rome  without  visiting  St.  Peters. 


38 


THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN. 


This  noble  park  is  1752  acres  in  extent,  of  which  1300  are  open  to  the 
public  free,  the  rest  being  occupied  by  the  zoological  and  people's  gardens 
and  the  grounds  of  several  public  institutions  and  official  residences. 
At  the  beginning  of  the  century  the  only  thoroughfare  between  the  city 
and  the  park  was  over  Victoria  (then  Bloody)  Bridge,  and  through 
Barrack  Street,  a  disreputable  outlet  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Royal  Barracks  ; 
but  this  nuisance  has  long  been  obviated,  by  the  erection,  higher  up  the 
river,  and  nearer  the  entrance  to  the  park,  of  a  beautiful  metal  structure 
called  Kings  Bridge,  in  commemoration  of  the  visit  of  George  IV.  to 
Ireland  in  1821.*  This  is  the  most  westerly  of  the  Dublin  bridges,  with 
the  exception  of  the  railroad  extension  bridge,  and  the  Sarah  Bridge,  the 
former  about  half  and  the  latter  three-quarters  of  a  mile  further  up  the 
stream  and  south  of  the  park.  The  Sarah  Bridge  consists  of  a  single 
elliptic  arch  of  104  feet  span,  and  obtains  its  name  from  Sarah,  Countess 
of  Westmoreland,  by  whom  the  foundation  stone  was  laid  in  1 79 1 . 

The  first  object  that  attracts  attention  in  the  park  is  the  Wellington 
Testimonial,  on  the  left — a  lofty  but  ungainly  f  column  commemorative  of 
the  victories  of  the  great  captain  of  the  age,  who,  we  repeat,  Dublin 
claims  as  one  of  her  sons,  the  alleged  place  of  his  birth  being  in  Upper 
Merrion  Street,  in  a  house  now  occupied  by  the  Irish  Church  Commis- 
sioners. This  testimonial  was  erected  in  181 7,  at  a  cost  of  ,£20,000, 
subscribed  by  the  citizens  of  Dublin,  and  consists  of  a  massive  obelisk 
on  a  pedestal  of  Wicklow  granite,  surmounting  a  platform  approached 
by  a  flight  of  steps.  The  sides  of  the  pedestal  have  sunken  panels, 
containing  relievos  in  metal  of  the  hero  crowned  with  laurel,  and  military 
scenes,  while  those  of  the  obelisk  are  inscribed  with  the  names  of  the 

*  A  sum  of  ,£13,000  was  raised  by  public  subscription  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a  national  monument  to 
perpetuate  this  event ;  but  the  good  sense  of  the  managers  of  the  undertaking  substituted  a  work  not  only 
ornamental  but  highly  useful  to  the  city,  instead  of  an  idle  pillar-trophy  which  it  was  the  original  intention  to 
erect  with  the  funds  subscribed.  The  foundation  stone  was  laid  December  12th,  1827,  by  the  Marquis  of 
Wellesley,  then  Lord  Lieutenant.  The  bridge  is  composed  of  one  arch  of  cast  metal  of  100  feet  span,  with 
abutments  of  handsomely-cut  mountain  granite. 

\  It  is  objected  to  the  Wellington  Testimonial  that  it  is  of  too  sepulchral  a  character,  very  much  out  of  place 
when  it  is  considered  that  the  Duke  survived  its  erection  for  nearly  40  years,  and  that  its  tout  ensembU  is  that 
of  a  monstrous  stone.  The  last  objection  is  founded  probably  upon  the  witty  answer  of  a  noble  lord  to 
George  IV.,  who,  as  he  passed  in  his  state  carriage,  inquired  the  meaning  of  such  a  monstrous  mass.  "  Sire," 
replied  he,  "it  is  intended  as  a  milestone  by  the  Irish  ;  their  miles  being  longer  than  the  English,  they  think  their 
milestones  should  be  in  proportion." 


PHCEXIX  PARK. 


39 


victories  won  by  the  "Iron  Duke"  during  his  long  military  career.  The 
relievos  were  by  Irish  artists,  and  the  metal  cast  from  cannon  taken  in 
battle.  The  total  height  is  205  feet.  From  the  elevated  ground  on  which 
this  memorial  is  placed,  as  well  as  from  the  powder-magazine  and  fort, 
erected  in  1735,  some  little  distance  to  the  west,  the  finest  and  most 
comprehensive  views  of  Dublin  are  obtained.  The  spectator  sees  before 
him  the  entire  extent  of  the  city — its  magnificent  bridges  ;  the  domes  and 
spires  of  its  public  buildings  and  churches ;  and  the  beautiful  "  Xelson 
Pillar,"  rising  from  the  broad  mass  of  houses ;  while  the  blue  outline  of 
the  mountains  to  the  south  of  the  city,  visible  in  the  distance  on  the 
right  of  the  picture,  greatly  enhance  its  grandeur  and  beauty. 

On  the  right  of  the  road,  and  for  some  distance  after  entering  the 
park,  the  ground  has  been  tastefully  laid  out  as  a  flower  garden  and 
promenade  for  the  free  use  of  the  public,  and  bears  the  name  of  the 
Peoples  Garden.  Here  is  the  Carlisle  Memorial  Statue,  another  of  the 
successful  works  of  art  for  which  the  citizens  of  Dublin  are  indebted  to 
the  skill  of  its  talented  son.  Foley.  It  commemorates  the  Lord  Lieuten- 
ancy of  the  seventh  Earl,  who  occupied  the  vice-regal  chair  for  over  eight 
years.  Immediately  north  of  these  pleasure  grounds  lie  the  Zoological 
Gardens,  established  in  1831.  and  partly  supported  by  an  annual  Parlia- 
mentary grant.  The  public  are  admitted  daily  by  the  payment  of  sixpence, 
except  on  Sunday,  when  it  is  only  one  penny.  The  natural  beauties  of 
the  grounds,  sloping  to  the  margin  of  a  small  lake,  have  been  heightened 
and  embellished  by  the  hands  of  art ;  but  the  most  attractive  feature  of 
the  place  is  undoubtedly  the  collection  of  animals,  which,  though  not  very 
extensive,  is  of  an  interesting-  character. 

The  Vice  Regal  Lodge,  an  unostentatious  but  tasteful  building,  situated 
near  the  principal  road  through  the  park,  was  purchased  from  the  Earl 
of  Leitrim  in  17S4.  as  a  summer  residence  for  the  viceroys,  and  has 
been  subsequently  much  enlarged  and  improved.  At  a  short  distance 
from  the  lodge,  in  the  centre  of  a  small  area,  stands  a  fluted  Corinthian 
pillar,  thirty  feet  in  height,  surmounted  by  a  phoenix.*  forming  a  pictur- 

*  The  name  of  die  park  is  said  by  some  to  be  derived  from  that  of  the  fabulous  bird.  Dr.  Walsh, 
on  the  contrary,  maintains,  in  his  History  of  Dublin,  that  it  comes  from  a  corruption  of  the  Irish  term 
Fiomn~*tisge  (clear  or  fair  water),  pronounced  finniske,  and  which,  articulated  in  the  English  manner,  might 
be  easily  changed  into  the  word  Phoenix.  The  spring  or  well,  believed  to  have  given  the  name  to  this 
demesne,  is  a  strong  chalybeate,  and  is  situated,  according  to  the  Doctor,  "in  a  glen  beside  the  lower  lake. 


40 


THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN. 


esque  object  when  viewed  through  the  leafy  avenues  which  conduct  to  it. 
It  was  erected  in  1747  by,  the  celebrated  Earl  of  Chesterfield,  who,  when 
Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  was  very  influential  in  converting  the  park 
into  a  popular  public  resort.  The  greater  part  of  its  area  was  surrendered 
to  Henry  VIII.,  by  Rawson,  prior  of  Kilmainham  ;  and,  although  the  land 
was  soon  proposed  to  be  transformed  into  a  royal  demesne,  this  was 
not  effected  fully  until  the  reign  of  Charles  II.,  and  during  the  vice- 
royalty  of  the  Duke  of  Ormond,  when  it  was  enclosed,  planted,  and 
stocked  with  deer.  It  thus  continued  until  the  time  of  Lord  Chesterfield, 
who  was  so  delighted  with  its  natural  advantages  and  position,  that  he 
designed  and  commenced  those  embellishments  and  decorations  which 
have  led  to  its  becoming  a  spot  of  surpassing  beauty  and  interest. 

Throughout  the  park,  roads  and  drives  run  in  various  directions,  over 
which,  as  well  as  over  the  grassy  surface,  pedestrians  and  horsemen  are 
permitted  to  roam  at  large.  It  continues  to  be  plentifully  stocked  with 
deer,  is  surrounded  by  a  wall,  and  communicates  with  the  neighboring 
country  by  several  entrances  having  gates  and  lodges  in  various  styles 
of  architecture  ;  while  within  its  boundaries  are  several  benevolent  and 
other  institutions,  invariably  of  a  national  character.  Though  only 
indebted  to  the  hand  of  art  for  improvement  in  the  immediate  vicinity 
of  the  Vice  Regal  Lodge,  and  those  portions  which  adjoin  the  Zoological 
Gardens  and  the  grand  entrance  gate,  this  large  demesne  contains  in 
other  parts  many  picturesque  spots,  romantic  glens,  and  wild  retreats, 
where  nature  displays  her  choicest  charms  to  those  who  love  to  seek 
her  in  her  sequestered  haunts.  Numerous  hawthorn  groves  are  scattered 
over  its  surface,  which  in  early  summer  are  loaded  with  snow-white 
blossoms,  and  give  a  delicious  fragrance  to  the  air.  The  open  spaces 
between  the  woods  and  copses  are  for  the  most  part  irregular  and 
uneven  ;  the  principal  level  plain,  so  to  call  it,  is  "  the  Fifteen  Acres," 
though  why  so  named  it  would  be  difficult  to  determine,  as  its  area  is 
said  to  contain  300  acres.  This  space  is  used  for  exercising  the  troops 
of  the  garrison,  and  reviews  and  sham  battles  frequently  take  place  upon 

near  the  grand  entrance  into  the  vice-regal  lodge,  and  has  been  frequented  from  time  immemorial  for  the 
supposed  salubrity  of  its  waters."  Notwithstanding  the  celebrity  of  the  spring,  it  remained  neglected  and 
exposed  until  the  year  1800,  when  the  Duke  of  Richmond,  then  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  having  derived 
great  benefit  from  the  use  of  its  waters,  had  it  enclosed  and  covered  over  with  a  strong  structure  of 
Portland  stone. 


THE  "FIFTEEN  ACRES.' 


41 


it  during  the  summer  season.  Here,  too,  the  lovers  of  polo  and  cricket 
find  appropriate  arenas  for  the  enjoyment  of  their  respective  games. 

But  the  "  Fifteen  Acres  "  has  obtained  its  principal  notoriety  from 
its  being  the  favorite  ground  on  which  affairs  of  honor,  in  the  hair- 
trigger  days  of  Ireland,  were  commonly  settled  at  ten  paces  distance. 
It  is  many  years  ago  since  the  original  compiler  of  this  work  was  much 
amused  by  the  observations  of  an  old  man,  whom  he  met  early  one 
summer's  morning  wandering  near  this  celebrated  spot.  At  first  he 
imagined  him  to  be  engaged  gathering  decayed  brambles  for  firewood  ; 
but  he  was  soon  undeceived  in  his  supposition,  for  he  noticed  the  poor 
fellow  kept  gliding  from  place  to  place,  apparently  without  any  object. 
This  singular  conduct  excited  curiosity  to  learn  if  possible  his  business 
there,  and  the  old  man  being  intercepted  in  one  of  his  traverses,  a 
conversation  ensued,  which  is  thus  related  by  the  author  : 

"  A  fine  morning,  my  friend,"  said  I. 

"  Beautiful,  sir,  praise  be  to  God  for  it  !  The  rain  last  night  will 
bring  up  the  late  pratees  finely,  though  it  has  made  the  grass  mighty 
damp,  and  my  ould  shoes  ain't  in  the  best  ordher  for  keeping  out  that 
same,"  replied  the  man,  exhibiting  a  pair  of  tattered  and  crannied  shoes, 
into  which  the  wet  had  soaked  and  penetrated  in  every  direction. 

"Why,  then,  do  you  walk  here?"  said  I;  "the  road  and  footpaths 
of  the  park  are  dry  and  pleasant.      But  you  may  have  business  ? " 

"  Sorra  hap'orth  of  business  has  myself  here  now,  sir  ;  but  it  wasn't 
always  so  ;  many's  the  guinea  I  aimed  before  five  o'clock  in  the  morning 
on  this  very  spot,  when  times  was  good  ;  and  though  my  purfession 
ain't  worth  following  of  late,  I  can't  break  myself  of  my  ould  ways, 
and  I  come  wandhering  out  to  the  ould  spot  ever}-  morning  just  as  I 
used  to  do." 

This  speech  of  the  old  man's  puzzled  me  exceedingly,  and  I  inquired 
what  his  profession  might  be. 

"  Why  then,  sir,"  replied  he,  "  I'll  never  deny  it  ;  I'm  by  thrade  a 
tailor,  but  I  gave  up  stitching  long  ago  and  went  into  the  jewelling  line." 

"  The  jewelling  line  ? "  I  repeated,  rather  surprised. 

"  Yes   sir  ;    I'm   the  boy  that  you  might  have  heerd  tell  of — Mick 
Delany — that  attended  on  all  the  jintlemin  who  used  to  come  out  here 
to  fight  jewels  before  their  breakfasts." 
a.— 35 


42 


THE  CITY  OF  DUBLIN. 


"  Oh  ! "  cried  I,  with  some  difficulty  repressing  my  inclination  to 
indulge  in  a  hearty  fit  of  laughter  when  I  understood  that  the  jewels 
my  informant  alluded  to  were  those  hostile  meetings  which  so  frequently 
took  place  on  that  ground.  "  And  pray,  in  what  capacity  did  you  act 
in  these  affairs  of  honor  ? " 

'•  Why  sir,"  said  he  with  inimitable  gravity,  "  I  was  the  regulather. 
I  could  point  out  the  exact  spot  every  jewel  had  been  fought  for  the 
last  five-and-forty  years,  and  be  the  same  token  I  was  prisint  by  at  the 
most  of  them  myself  ;  and  so,  sir,  by  that  manes,  when  jintlemin  came 
here  to  settle  their  little  differences  quiet  and  aisy,  they  were  always 
glad  to  meet  a  knowledgable  boy  like  myself,  who  could  put  them  up 
to  the  business  in  style,  and  keep  a  sharp  lookout  for  the  murdhering 
villyans  of  polis,  that  was  always  spiling  our  sport." 

"  But  how,"  I  inquired,  "  did  it  happen  that  you  were  present  at 
so  many  of  these  affairs  ? " 

"  Oh,  aisy  enough,  sir  !  I  used  to  get  up  at  cock-shout  every  morning 
regular,  and  walk  out  here  to  the  '  Fifteen  Acres,'  where  I  was  sure 
of  falling  in  with  two  or  three  jewelling  parties  in  the  week  as  I'd  be 
of  finding  parthridges  in  stubbles.  Most  of  the  jintlemin  ped  me  for 
my  sarvices,  and  those  that  had  no  occasion  for  them  ped  me  to  get 
quiet  of  me." 

"  So  that  in  either  way  you  were  certain  of  being  paid,"  said  I. 

"In  coorse,  sir  ;  but  that  was  in  the  good  ould  times  when  jewelling 
•was  in  fashion,  and  when  no  jintleman  could  purshume  to  howld  up  his 
head  amongst  jintlemin  till  he  had  been  out  a  couple  of  times  at  laste. 
Now,  sir,  they  settle  all  their  disputes  in  a  mane  and  dirty  way  upon 
paper  ;  there's  no  sperrit  among  the  quality  of  late,  like  as  there  was 
when  bould  Harry  Grattan,  and  little  counsellor  Curran,  Bully  Egan,  and 
the  ould  joker,  Lord  Norbury,  that  by  all  accounts  shot  himself  up  to 
be  a  judge,  used  to  take  the  shine  in  Dublin.  Them  was  the  right 
sort  of  jintlemin,  sir ;  them  was  the  chaps  for  making  any  fellow  that 
'ud  say  '  black  is  the  white  of  your  eye '  shiver  upon  daisy  in  no  time. 
But,  Lord  help  us,  sir,  there's  nothing  but  changes  in  this  world,  and 
all  of  them  for  the  worse,  too  ;  the  polis  and  the  teetotallers  have 
taken  the  misnagh  (courage)  out  of  the  people  ;  jintlemin  don't  now 
get  into  a  quarrel  over  their  wine  or  punch  at  night,  and  get  out  of 


TWO   WAYS  OF  SETTLING  DIFFERENCES. 


43 


it  on  the  sod  in  the  morning.  They're  grown  as  peaceable  as  mice,  sir, 
and  a  man  might  walk  the  '  Fifteen  Acres  '  for  a  twelvemonth  of  Sundays 
without  seeing  the  laste  bit  of  divarsion  in  regard  of  a  jewel? 

"  I  am  glad  to  find  that  the  barbarous  custom  so  long  a  disgrace 
to  the  country  is  wearing  rapidly  away,"  I  replied. 

"  Barbarous,  sir  !  d'ye  call  a  fair  jewel  at  eight  or  tin  paces 
barbarous  ?  " 

"  Certainly  ;  the  idea  of  two  men  going  out  coolly  and  deliberately  for 
the  purpose  of  imbruing  their  hands  in  each  other's  blood  is  perfectly 
horrible." 

"  But  consider  the  convaynience  of  the  thing,  sir  ;  they  come  out 
here  in  the  cool  of  the  morning  with  their  sickonds  and  hair-triagrer 
pistols,  and  settle  their  difference  at  once  ;  and  if  one  of  them  ain't 
shot  clane  out,  they'll  go  home  together  greater  friends  than  ever.  I'm 
sure  that's  a  shorter  and  better  way  of  making  pace  than  by  going  to 
law,  and  keeping  up  all  sorts  of  hathred  and  ill-will  towards  each 
other." 

"  But,  my  good  friend,  I  do  not  advocate  litigation  because  I  object 
to  violence.  '  Let  the  angry  man,'  as  the  Eastern  proverb  has  it,  '  drink 
of  the  waters  of  reflection.'  " 

"  I  wish  you  a  good  morning,  sir,"  said  my  new  acquaintance,  abruptly 
turning  on  his  heel,  "  I  must  be  going  ; "  and  as  he  hurried  away  I 
could  hear  him  muttering  between  his  teeth,  "'Drink  of  the  wathers!' 
I  might  have  aisily  known  he  was  a  teetotaller." 


44 


THE  UPPER  LI F FEY  AND  BEYOND  KILDARE. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  UPPER  LIFFEY  AND  BEYOND  KILDARE. 

Beauty  of  the  Dublin  Suburbs — Valley  of  the  Liffey — Castleknock  and  its  Legends — The 
"Strawberry  Beds" — Woodlands — Lucan — Leixlip  and  its  Salmon  Leap — Celbridge — Swift 
and  "  Vanessa  " — Clane — Roman  Catholic  College  at  Clangowes  Wood — Sallins — Grand 
Canal — Naas — Falls  of  Poul-a-Phouca — Kilcullen — Curragh  of  Kildare — City  of  Kildare 
— A  thy — Mull i mast  and  its  Historic  Associations — Moat  of  Ascul — Car  low — Clondalkin 
and  its  Round  Tenner. 

FEW  cities  are  more  fortunate  than  Dublin  in  the  beauty  of  their 
environs.  On  the  east  it  has  its  noble  bay,  by  many  travelers 
placed  in  rivalry  with  the  far-famed  Bay  of  Naples,  guarded  at  its 
entrance  by  Kingstown  and  the  hills  of  Howth  and  Killiney  ;  on  the 
north  the  villages  of  Glasnevin  and  Finglas,*  situated  on  the  banks  of 
the  meandering  Tolka  (in  whose  picturesque  vicinity  Addison,  Swift, 
Steele,  Tickell,  Delaney,  and  Parnell  had  their  constant  or  occasional 
residence),  the  rich  meadows  of  Artane,  and  the  green  lanes  and  pleasant 
shores  of  Clontarf ;  westward  along  and  beyond  the  Phoenix  Park  stretches 
the  beauteous  vale  through  which  winds  the  Liffey's  silver  stream,  its 
steep  banks  enriched  with  gardens  and  charming  villas  ;  while  to  the 
south  and  southeast  are  scattered  innumerable  country  seats,  backed  by 
the  blue  chain  of  the  Dublin  and  Wicklow  mountains,  extending  towards 
the  east  until  they  meet  the  ocean  at  the  pleasant  town  of  Bray — 
suburbs  forming  a  succession  of  picturesque  objects,  that  for  beauty  and 
variety  are  not  approached  by  those  of  any  capital  in  the  world. 

Our  first  excursion  into  the  country  around  Dublin  took  us  toward 
the  headwaters  of  the  Liffey,  and  afforded  us  a  survey  of  many  pleasant 

*  Finglas  possesses  an  ancient  cross,  lays  claim  to  an  antiquity  almost  coeval  with  St.  Patrick,  was  in  early 
times  a  bishop's  see,  which  was  merged  in  that  of  Dublin,  and  has  in  later  days  been  the  scene  of  May  sports 
that  attracted  all  the  world,  and  are  supposed  to  have  been  the  relics  of  the  Pagan  "  feriae."  Its  name  is 
derived  from  Fionn  Glas,  "  The  Fair  or  Pleasant  Green,"  indicative  of  its  fertility. 

/ 


CHAPEL  IZOD  AND  CASTLEKNOCK. 


45 


places  to  the  west  and  southwest  of  the  metropolis,  our  journey  extending 
even  beyond  the  limits  of  the  stream  to  the  city  of  Kildare  and  into 
the  county  of  Carlow.  In  order  to  afford  us  a  better  view  of  the 
many  pretty  places  and  pleasant  prospects  that  crowded  the  earlier 
portion  of  our  journey,  we  engaged  the  services  of  an  outside  jaunting 
car,  one  of  those  national  vehicles  that  seem  to  have  been  invented 
especially  for  the  uses  of  discordant  couples,  as  they  unsocially  compel 
their  passengers  to  travel  back  to  back ;  while  as  posts  of  observation 
they  have  the  disadvantage  of  only  giving  you  a  one-sided  view  of  the 
world,  unless  you  repeatedly  jerk  yourself  around,  a  proceeding  most 
conducive  to  a  crick  in  the  neck.  But  as  travelers  learn  by  experience 
that  when  at  Rome  it  is  always  advisable  to  do  as  the  Romans  do, 
we  accepted  the  situation,  and  placing  ourselves  on  the  left  side  of  one 
of  these  conveyances,  being  told  the  best  views  were  in  that  direction, 
we  rattled  over  Kino's  Bridge,  and  once  more  entered  Phcenix  Park, 
which  lay  in  our  course.  Ascending,  and  passing  over  its  picturesque 
drive  to  its  western  side,  we  were  enabled  to  enjoy  at  our  leisure 
the  beauties  of  the  lower  road,  and  trace  the  glittering  Liffey,  flowing 
through  verdant  meadows,  and  watering  the  rich  valley  where  stands 
the  romantic  village  of  Chapel  Izod,  named  after  La  Belle  Isode,  daughter 
of  an  Irish  King,  who  had  a  chapel  there,  and  the  place  of  encamp- 
ment of  Brian  Boroimhe  in  989,  and  of  William  III.  in  1690,  after 
his  victory  on  the  Boyne  ;  and  beyond,  that  of  Palmerstown  which 
gave  to  the  family  of  Temple  a  title  whose  last  possessor  made  it 
renowned  in  modern   British  history. 

Emerging  from  Phcenix  Park  by  its  southwestern,  or  Knockmaroon 
Gate,  we  soon  had   on    our    right,  surmounting   a   knoll,  Castleknock,""" 

*  Castleknock  has  two  singular  legends  attached  to  it :  one  refers  to  an  old  window  in  the  shattered 
wall  of  the  ruin,  of  which  Stanihurst  wrote,  "  Though  it  be  neither  glazed  nor  latticed,  but  open,  yet 
let  the  weather  be  stormy,  and  the  wind  bluster  boisterously  on  any  side  of  the  house,  and  place  a  candle 
there,  and  it  will  burn  as  quietly  as  if  no  puff  of  wind  blew.  This  may  be  tried  at  this  day,  who  so 
shall  be  willing  to  put  it  in  practice."  The  other  informs  us  that  St.  Patrick  once  came  hither  to  convert 
to  Christianity  its  possessor,  Morrishtac,  a  Danish  king ;  when  the  old  infidel,  after  listening  patiently  to  the  saint 
for  a  considerable  time,  commenced  to  nod,  and  finally  at  the  close  of  a  forcible  argument  came  out  with  a 
most  irreverent  snore.  The  saint,  enraged  at  this  unchristian  conduct,  prayed  that  the  king  might  sleep  in  the 
same  place  and  posture  till  the  last  day.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  add  that  his  prayer  was  granted,  and  that 
the  sleeping  monarch  remains  to  the  present  day  inclosed  in  an  underground  chamber,  to  which  a  winding 
passage  in  the  thickness  of  the  walls  is  said  to  conduct. 


46 


THE  UPPER  LIFFEY  AND  BEYOND  KILDARE. 


an  ancient  and  ruined  baronial  hall.  It  is  related  that  a  royal  Danish 
residence  which  stood  here  was  granted  by  Strongbow,  in  1 1 77,  to  one 
of  his  officers,  Hugh  Tyrrell,  who  built  the  castle,  which  was  retained 
by  his  descendants  for  two  centuries.  In  13 16  it  fell  into  the  hands  of 
Edward  Bruce,  brother  of  the  Scottish  king,  and  after  many  mutations, 
in  1642,  into  that  of  the  royalist  army  under  Colonel  Monk.  From 
Knockmaroon  to  the  picturesque  grounds  of  Woodlands  the  northern 
bank  of  the  Liffey  is  covered  with  strawberry  beds,  whose  luscious 
product  is  in  its  season  most  attractive  to  the  denizens  of  Dublin. 
Here,  in  the  genial  month  of  June,  when  the  fruit  is  ripe,  the  citizens 
repair  in  great  numbers  ;  and  here  they  may  be  seen  on  fine  sunny 
evenings  sauntering  along  the  sides  of  the  river,  scrambling  up  the 
precipitous  banks,  or  seated  in  social  groups  in  the  little  summer-houses 
and  tea-gardens  that  invitingly  tempt  the  passing  traveler  to  stay  and 
join  in  a  luxurious  repast  on  the  delicious  produce  of  "  the  Beds," 
which  is  sometimes  eaten  au  naiurel,  but  more  frequently,  as  the  old 
song  says,  "smothered  in  cream." 

To  Lucan  the  road  runs  nearly  parallel  to  the  course  of  the  Liffey, 
whose  banks,  enriched  by  ancient  woods,  overhanging  the  silent  waters, 
or  spreading  into  verdant  slopes,  never  fail  to  elicit  the  admiration  of 
every  beholder.  It  would  be  impossible  for  a  stranger  to  pass  the 
demesne  of  Woodlands,  the  seat  of  Lord  Annaly,  and  formerly  that  of 
the  Earls  of  Carhampton,  without  being  struck  by  its  eminently  beautiful 
situation.  The  fine  lawn  in  front  of  the  house  is  girt  by  rich  groves, 
in  which  are  many  romantic  rides  and  walks,  leading  through  sylvan 
glades  or  deep  glens,  where  the  sparkling  of  bright  streams,  and  the 
glad  sound  of  waters  murmuring  over  their  pebbly  beds,  or  leaping 
down  the  rocks,  soothe  the  mind  to  kindred  repose.  The  village  of 
Lucan,  which  supplied  the  title  of  an  Earldom  for  Sarsfield  and  his 
descendants,  the  Binghams,  is  about  eight  miles  distant  from  Dublin, 
and  delightfully  situated  on  the  southern  bank  of  the  Liffey,  which  is 
here  crossed  by  a  stone  bridge  of  one  arch  of  no  feet  span.  The 
place  was  once  celebrated  for  a  chalybeate  spa,  discovered  in  1758,  the 
waters  of  which  are  said  to  possess  singular  virtues  in  cutaneous  and 
some  other  diseases.  Fashion,  however,  whose  capricious  taste  merit 
cannot  command,  long  since  withdrew  her   favoring   influence,  and  the 


LEIXLIP  AND  ITS  SALMON  LEAP. 


4? 


spa  is  now  little  frequented  except  by  those  who,  attracted  by  the 
romantic  scenery,  spend  a  few  weeks  of  the  summer  season  in  its 
delightful  neighborhood.  The  ornamental  grounds  of  Lucan  House,  in 
which  are  the  remains  of  the  castle  of  the  Sarsfields  and  the  old 
parish  church,  occupy  the  banks  of  the  -Liffey  for  almost  the  entire 
mile  and  a  half  which  separates  Lucan  from  Leixlip,  where  we  found 
ourselves  once  more  in  the  county  of  Kildare. 

The  little  village  of  Leixlip  is  delightfully  situated  at  the  confluence 
of  the  Rye  Water  with  the  Liffey,  in  a  richly  diversified  country ;  and 
the  picture  it  presents  has  been  declared  to  be  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  "  bits  of  scenery  "  in  the  kingdom.  Surmounting  the  wooded 
banks  of  the  river  stands  the  castle,  a  modernized  but  ivy-mantled 
structure,  having  circular  and  square  towers,  said  to  have  been  originally 
founded  by  Adam  Fitz-Hereford,  an  Anglo-Norman  follower  of  Strongbow, 
and  the  residence  of  King  John,  while  Earl  of  Morton  and  Governor 
of  Ireland  during  the  reign  of  Henry  II.  At  a  short  distance  from 
the  village  the  waters  of  the  Liffey  tumble  down  a  succession  of  rocky 
ledges  and  form  the  romantic  cataract  popularly  called  the  Salmon  Leap. 
The  roar  of  the  waterfall  greets  the  ear  as  you  approach  it,  and  arriving, 
the  eye  perceives  the  cascade  to  be  most  picturesque  in  character,  for 
the  water  rushes  down  a  broad  and  rocky  steep,  and  boils  into  spray 
and  foam.  The  Salmon  Leap  is  the  lowest  rapid  on  the  river,  and 
the  volume  of  the  stream  is  at  all  times  sufficiently  large  to  be  a 
pleasing  object  of  interest  ;  but  the  scene  is  considerably  heightened 
when  the  river  is  swollen,  and  the  rush  of  waters  is  thereby  increased. 
The  spot  is  a  favorite  resort  for  pic-nic  parties  from  Dublin,  but  they 
cannot  command  the  vaulting  exploits  of  the  salmon  at  will,  for  it  is 
only  at  certain  seasons  the  fish  perform  the  feat  which  has  given  the 
cascade  its  name.  The  precipitous  banks  of  the  river  are  thickly 
covered  with  trees,  and  the  tout-ensemble,  though  not  so  extensive  as 
that  of  any  one  of  the  celebrated  falls  in  Scotland,  Switzerland,  or 
America,  is  excelled  by  few  in  natural  beauty. 

From  Leixlip,  which  is  a  station  on  the  Midland  Great  Western 
Railway,  the  course  of  the  Liffey  ascends  for  three  or  four  miles,  in  a 
south  westerly  direction,  to  the  village  of  Celbridge,  a  little  over  a  mile 
from  the  Great  Southern  and  Western  Railway,   and  only  noted  as  being 


48 


THE  UPPER  LIFFEY  AND  BEYOND  KILDARE. 


once  the  residence  of  Esther  Vanhomrigh,  the  ill-fated  "  Vanessa "  of 
Swift."'  But  as  there  was  nothing  of  interest  to  detain  us  at  that  place, 
we  hurried  on  to  Sallins,  some  nine  miles  higher  up  the  river,  which  at 
over  half  the  way  thither  is  crossed  by  a  bridge  of  six  arches  at  Clane, 
where  there  are  the  ruins  of  a  Franciscan  Abbey,  founded  in  the  thirteenth 
century,  and  near  by  the  Roman  Catholic  College  of  Clangowes  Wood,  a 
quadrangular  structure  flanked  by  four  towers.  At  Sallins  the  Liffey  is 
crossed  by  the  Grand  Canal,  the  termini  of  which  we  have  already 
noticed — the  western  on  the  Shannon,  near  its  confluence  with  the  Suck, 
and  the  eastern  at  the  point  where  the  river  Dodder  flows  into  the  bay 
of  Dublin. 

Between  its  source,  in  the  northwestern  corner  of  Wicklow,  and  Sallins, 
the  course  of  the  Liffey  almost  describes  a  circle,  within  which  stands  the 
town  of  Naas,  whither  we  now  proceeded  for  a  night's  rest  on  our  way  to 
the  falls  of  Poul-a-Phouca,  near  the  head  waters  of  the  stream.  Naas  is 
about  three  miles  south  of  Sallins,  its  railroad  station,  and  a  lively  little 
town,  though  not  so  much  so  as  of  old  when  it  was  a  coaching  station,  for 
it  is  situated  at  the  point  where  the  high  road  from  Dublin  sends  forth 
branches  to  Waterford  and  Limerick  respectively.  Its  only  bit  of  antiquity 
is  a  rath,  where  the  States  of  Leinster  are  said  to  have  held  their  assem- 
blies ;  but  it  claims  to  have  once  been  the  residence  of  its  kings, 
to  have  possessed  a  castle  and  three  or  four  abbeys  and  monasteries,  and 

*  Esther  Vanhomrigh,  the  daughter  of  a  London  family  in  which  Swift  visited,  being  occasionally  directed  by 
him  in  her  studies,  conceived  such  a  violent  attachment  for  him  as  to  be  induced' to  propose  marriage  to  him.  The 
offer  was  declined,  but  Swift  seems  to  have  neglected,  as  he  ought  not  to  have  done,  to  discourage  her  advances, 
cither  from  gratified  vanity,  or  from  a  genuine  personal  interest  in  the  young  lady,  who,  under  the  name  of 
"Vanessa,"  has  gained  a  celebrity  as  sad  and  romantic  as  that  of  her  companion  in  misfortune,  "Stella."  Upon  the 
death  of  her  mother,  in  1714,  Vanessa  removed  to  Ireland  to  be  near  Swift  (but  lately  appointed  dean  of  St. 
Patrick's),  who  thus  became  involved  with  two  women,  equally  devoted  to  him,  and  neither  of  whom  he  was  willing 
to  marry.  Ignorant  of  his  relations  with  Stella,  and  absorbed  in  her  own  passion,  Vanessa  patiently  endured  the 
coldness  and  reproaches  with  which  Swift  now  treated  her,  in  the  hope  that  she  might  one  day  become  his  wife.  In 
1 71 7  Vanessa  retired  to  Marley  Abbey,  Celbridge,  where  she  lived  in  deep  seclusion  with  her  sister,  and  where,  in 
1720,  Swift  renewed  his  visits,  each  of  which  Vanessa  commemorated  by  planting  a  laurel  in  the  garden  where  they 
met.  In  time,  however,  she  became  so  tormented  by  suspicion  and  impatience,  that,  in  1721,  she  wrote  to  Stella  to 
ascertain  the  nature  of  her  connection  with  Swift,  who,  obtaining  possession  of  the  letter,  rode  at  once  to  Marley 
Abbey,  flung  it  upon  the  table  before  Vanessa  with  a  frown,  which  struck  her  dumb  with  terror,  and  instantly 
departed.  The  shock  was  so  severely  felt  by  the  unhappy  woman  that  she  survived  it  but  a  few  weeks.  Swift,  on 
learning  of  her  death,  was  so  overcome  by  remorse,  that  he  retired  in  solitude  for  two  months  to  the  south  of  Ireland  ; 
and  afterwards  published  the  poem  "Cadenus  and  Vanessa,"  written  in  1713,  describing  his  reception  of  the 
advances  of  his  ill-fated  admirer. 


FALL  OF  POUL  A-PHOUCA. 


49 


to  have  been  in  a  flourishing  state  up  to  the  time  when  the  Saxon  set 
his  foot  on  Irish  soil.  It  has  now  about  3000  inhabitants,  is,  next  to 
Athy,  the  largest  place  in  the  county  of  Kildare,  and  one  of  its  assize 
towns.  Its  position  is,  however,  very  romantic,  being  seated  on  the 
western  slope  of  the  Wicklow  Hills,  and  just  beyond  the  border  of  that 
picturesque  county. 

From  Naas  we  journeyed  for  about  nine  miles  to  the  southeast,  and 
some  little  distance  beyond  Ballymore-Eustace,  before  we  came  to  the  fall 
of  Poul-a-Phouca,  which  the  reader  will  find  depicted  on  the  engraved 
title-page  of  this  volume.  The  river  Liffey,  after  finding  its  source  amid 
the  hills  of  the  baron)-  of  Rathdown  (from  whence  the  dark  Lough  Bray 
also  sends  forth  its  waters  to  course  through  the  Dargle,  and  enter  the 
sea  not  far  from  the  point  where  the  Liffey  also  joins  it),  passes  through 
the  Glen  of  Kippure  to  Kilbride  Church,  where  it  assumes  the  character 
of  a  river.  Then  pursuing  its  devious  course  for  a  distance  of  nine  miles, 
measured  in  a  direct  line  along  the  dale  through  which  it  flows,  the 
stream,  greatly  increased  in  volume,  enters,  not  far  above  the  fall,  a  deep 
chasm,  whose  rocky  sides  rise  to  a  considerable  height  above  its  bed  ;  and 
then,  as  it  has  been  rather  poetically  expressed,  leaps  from  the  hills  to 
the  valley,  forming  in  its  descent  a  cataract,  40  feet  broad  and  150  feet 
high,  which  falls  over  several  progressive  ledges  of  rocks,  till  it  is  precip- 
itated into  a  dark  abyss,  where  it  forms  a  whirlpool  of  frightful  appear- 
ance and  immense  depth,  and  where  the  Phouca  *  which  gives  it  its 
name,  it  is  said,  holds  its  nightly  revels,  luring  unhappy  wayfarers 
into  the  fearful  vortex.  Owing  to  the  manner  in  which  the  water  is 
broken  in  its  descent,  Poul-a-Phouca  is  by  many  considered  the  most 
picturesque  fall  in  the  county  of  Wicklow.  A  handsome  bridge  of  a 
single  Gothic  arch  has  been  thrown  across  the  chasm  through  which  the 
stream  rushes.  The  span  of  this  arch  is  65  feet,  and  its  key-stone  is  180 
feet   above   the   level  of  the   river.     On   one  side,  the  glen  for  some 

*  The  term  Poul-a-Phouca  signifies  the  "  Phouca's  Hole."  In  the  fairy  mythology  of  Ireland  the  Phouca  or 
Pooka  is  described  as  a  misshapen  imp,  haunting  lonely  glens  and  dark  recesses,  into  which  he  beguiles  the  unwary. 
He  has  been  likened  to  the  Tinna-Geolane,  or  Will  o'  the  Wisp,  who  lives  only  to  betray.  Its  habits  have  also 
been  said  to  resemble  those  of  the  English  Puck,  his  great  object  being  to  obtain  a  rider,  and  "  then  he  is  in  all  his 
most  malignant  glory.  Headlong  he  dashes  through  brier  and  brake,  through  flood  and  fell,  over  mountain,  valley, 
moor,  or  river  indiscriminately  ;  up  or  down  precipice  is  alike  to  him,  provided  he  gratifies  the  malevolence  that 
seems  to  inspire  him." 
H.-36 


50 


THE  UPPER  LI  FEE  Y  AND  BEYOND  KILDARE. 


distance,  both  above  and  below  the  fall,  is  overhung  by  abrupt  and  naked 
rocks ;  on  the  other  side,  where  the  land  forms  a  portion  of  the  demesne 
of  the  Earl  of  Miltown,  the  banks  are  less  precipitous,  and  are  cut  into 
walks  and  otherwise  tastefully  embellished. 

On  the  banks  of  the  Liffey,  some  little  distance  below  Poul-a-Phouca, 
where  it  becomes  a  fine  river  winding  beautifully  through  a  deep 
fertile  valley,  are  to  be  found  the  interesting  ruins  of  New  Abbey, 
founded  in  the  fifteenth  century  for  Franciscans,  by  Rowland  Fitz- 
Eustace,  and  with  its  lands  granted  after  the  dissolution  by  Elizabeth 
to  Spenser,  the  poet  ;  the  beautiful  demesne  of  Harristown,  which  drew 
forth  the  praises  of  the  author  of  "Vanity  Fair;"  and  the  small  town 
of  Kilcullen,  a  rambling  place,  which  Thackeray  found  to  tumble  down 
one  hill  and  struggle  up  another,  and  sometimes  called  Kilcullenbridge, 
to  distinguish  it  from  Old  Kilcullen,  which  lies  two  miles  to  the  south. 
Previous  to  the  building  of  the  new  town  in  13 19,  the  latter  was  a 
strong  city,  fortified  by  walls  and  entered  by  seven  gates,  and  still 
retains  some  remains  of  the  abbey  founded  for  monks  of  the  Strict 
Observance  in  the  fifteenth  century,  with  a  stump  of  a  Round  Tower 
and  the  shaft  of  an  ancient  cross.  We  were,  however,  unable  to  spare 
the  time  for  visiting  these  places,  and  so  after  our  survey  of  the  fall 
hurried  back  to  Sallins,  where  we  dispensed  with  the  further  use  of 
our  jaunting  car,  and  its  loquacious  and  communicative  driver,  and 
betook  ourselves  to  the  railway  train  for  the  purpose  of  visiting, 
previous  to  our  return  to  Dublin,  two  or  three  places  that  lay  a  little 
further  south. 

A  rapid  ride  of  a  dozen  miles,  during  the  earlier  of  which  the 
railway  ran  along  the  western  bank  of  the  Liffey,  and  during  the  later 
skirted  the  western  boundary  of  the  far-famed  Curragh,  took  us  to  the 
city  of  Kildare.  The  Curragh  of  Kildare  is  an  undulating  plain,  about 
six  miles  in  length  and  two  in  breadth,  and  contains  about  6000  acres, 
unequalled  perhaps  in  the  world  for  the  exceeding  softness,  elasticity, 
and  verdure  of  the  turf,  and  is  the  property  of  the  Crown.  This  plain, 
originally  standing  in  the  centre  of  a  large  forest  which  comprehended 
the  middle  of  the  country,  was  in  pagan  days  sacred  to  heathen  super- 
stition. At  its  extremity,  where  the  city  now  stands,  early  in  the 
sixth  century,  St.   Bridgit,  previously  a  heathen  vestal,  founded  on  her 


THE  CITY  OF  KILDARE. 


51 


conversion,  with  the  assistance  of  St.  Conlaeth,  a  church  and  monaster)-, 
and  afterwards  a  nunnery,  near  which  she  kept  the  sacred  fire  burning 
in  a  cell  in  accordance  with  the  pagan  custom.  The  Curragh  has  for 
some  years  been  the  scene  of  a  permanent  military  encampment  similar 
to  that  at  Aldershot  near  London,  and  has  accommodation  for  12,000 
troops,  whose  block  huts  are  visible  from  the  railway.  This,  however, 
is  not  the  first  time  that  it  has  been  appropriated  to  military  uses,  for 
in  1646  it  was  occupied  by  forces  under  General  Preston,  in  1783  by 
volunteers,  and  in  1804  by  30,000  insurgents.  Races  are  also  held  here 
four  times  a  year,  in  April,  June,  September,  and  October,  and  take 
the  first  rank  in  Ireland,  owing  to  the  peculiar  springiness  of  the  turf, 
and  the  facilities  offered  to  spectators. 

The  little  city  of  Kildare,  (chille-dara,  the  wood  of  oaks)  possesses 
no  attractions  for  the  visitor  beyond  its  archaeological  remains,  and  the 
extensive  view  that  it  commands  from  its  elevated  and  open  position 
on  a  ridge  of  hills.  From  it  may  be  observed,  in  the  north-east,  the 
Hill  of  Allen,  situated  in  the  bog  of  that  name,  Dunmurry  Hill,  and 
the  Grange,  on  which  is  the  Chair  of  Kildare  ;  and  a  wide  range  of 
the  rich  and  beautiful  country  lying  to  the  south.  In  its  early 
history  we  find  Kildare  was  a  city  renowned  for  saints.  The  monastery 
St.  Bridgit  founded  here  was  for  both  sexes.  To  it  Black  Hugh 
retired  from  the  throne  of  Leinster  in  638,  and  afterwards  became  its 
abbot  and  bishop  of  Kildare,  "  one  of  the  few  instances  on  record  of 
a  crown  and  sceptre  being  resigned  for  a  mitre  and  crozier."*  Eiglitigin, 
abbot  and  bishop  of  Kildare,  was  killed  by  a  priest  as  he  was  cele- 
brating mass  at  the  altar  of  St.  Bridgit  in  756,  "  since  which  time  no 
priest  whatsoever  was  allowed  to  celebrate  mass  in  that  church  in  the 
presence  of  a  bishop."  The  old  cathedral  was  a  cruciform  structure,  of 
which  little  now  remains  but  the  choir,  used  as  a  parish  church.  Near 
to  it  is  a  cell,  in  which  it  is  alleged  that  the  sacred  fire  kindled  by 
St.  Bridgit,  is  said  to  have  burnt  without  intermission  until  the  thirteenth 
century,  when  it  was  extinguished  by  Henry  de  Loundres,  Archbishop 
of  Dublin,  but  was  subsequently  relighted,  and  continued  to  burn  until 


*  The  first  bishop  was  St.  Conlaeth,  who  died  in  519.  In  accordance  with  the  act  of  1833,  the  Pro- 
testant diocese  was  united  to  that  of  Dublin  on  its  voidance  in  1848.  In  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  the 
see  of  Kildare  has  been  enlarged  by  that  of  Leighlin,  with  the  Episcopal  residence  at  Carlow. 


52 


THE  UPPER  LIFFEY  AND  BEYOND  KILDARE. 


the  general  suppression  of  monasteries.  Close  to  the  church  is  a 
Round  Tower,  of  the  remarkable  height  of  130  feet,  having  a  fine 
ornamented  doorway,  14  feet  from  the  ground,  but  surmounted  with  a 
sort  of  parapet  or  battlement  in  place  of  the  original  conical  top. 
Antiquaries  consider  this  tower  to  have  been  of  great  age  even  in  the 
twelfth  century.  Here  too,  is  a  castle  erected  by  Lord  William  de 
Vesey  in  the  thirteenth  century;  and,  on  the  south  side  of  the  town, 
the  remains  of  a  monastery  founded  by  him  for  gray  friars.  A  parlia- 
ment was  held  in  Kildare  in  1309;  the  place  was  taken  by  the  Marquis 
of  Ormond  in  June,  1649  ;  and  it  was  the  scene  of  a  defeat  of  the 
Irish  insurgents,   May  29,  1798. 

From  Kildare,  the  main  line  of  the  railway  proceeds  in  a  south- 
westerly direction  on  its  way  to  Cork  and  intermediate  places  already 
visited  by  us,  while  a  branch  leads  almost  directly  south  to  Carlow 
and  Wexford,  running  down  the  valley  of  the  Barrow,  which  after 
flowing  for  some  distance  eastwardly  from  its  source  in  the  Slieve 
Bloom  Mountains,  in  Queen's  County,  makes  an  elbow  and  trends  to 
the  south  a  little  below  Kildare.  We  took  this  latter  route  to  Carlow, 
26  miles  further  south,  passing  a  little  over  midway  the  assize  town  of 
Athy,  and  the  largest  in  the  county.  From  its  having  been  in  early 
days  a  sort  of  neutral  ground,  the  site  of  a  ford,  and  a  frontier  town 
of  the  Pale,  Athy  has  been  the  scene  of  many  a  bitter  contest,  and  it 
has  in  turn  been  burnt  by  the  Irish  in  1308,  plundered  by  the  Scots 
under  Edward  Bruce  in  131 5,  occupied  by  the  Irish  under  O'Neill  in 
1648,  and  two  years  later  by  the  Parliamentary  army.  A  turreted  castle, 
erected  early  in  the  fourteenth  century,  still  exists  and  overlooks  the 
bridge,  which  bears  the  name  of  Crom-aboo,  from  the  ancient  war  cry 
of  the  Fitzgeralds.  Two  spots  of  great  historical  interest  lie  in  the 
vicinity.  One  of  these  is  the  ancient  Carmen,  now  termed  Mullimast, 
or  Mullach  Masteau,  "the  moat  of  decapitation,"  whither  in  the  time 
of  Elizabeth  the  neighboring  Irish  chiefs  were  invited  by  some 
adventurers  to  have  their  mutual  animosities  and  grievances  redressed,  and 
where,  it  is  said,  they  were  all  assassinated ;  and  in  such  detestation  has  the 
act  been  held  "that  the  country  people  believe,  to  this  day,  a  descendant 
from  the  murderers  never  saw  his  son  arrive  at  the  age  of  twenty-one." 
It  was,  too.  at  the  Rath  of  Mullimast,  O'Connell  held  one  of  his  great 


CARLO  W  AND  ITS  HISTORICAL  SCENES. 


53 


"monster  meetings,"  and  was  presented  with  the  crown-shaped  cap  he 
occasionally  wore  in  public.  The  other  is  "  the  moat  of  Ascul,"  where 
in  1 3 1 5,  a  sanguinary  conflict  ensued  between  the  Scots,  under  Edward 
Bruce,  in  behalf  of  Irish  freedom,  and  the  English,  under  Sir  Raymond 
le  Gros,  in  which  the  latter  were  defeated. 

Carlow  (Ceithiarloch,  four-fold  lake)  is  the  chief  town  of  the  county 
of  the  same  name,  next  to  Louth,  the  smallest  in  Ireland.  It  is  situ- 
ated on  its  extreme  west,  and  is  connected  by  a  bridge  over  the  Barrow 
with  Graique,  which,  though  in  the  adjoining  Queen's  County,  may  be 
said  to  constitute  part  of  the  town.  Carlow  lies  in  the  midst  of  a 
well  cultivated  and  very  fertile  district,  presenting  in  great  measure 
the  cheerful  aspect  of  a  modern  town,  and  is  watered  not  only  by  the 
Barrow  but  by  its  affluent  the  Burren,  which  flows  through  its  centre. 
And  yet,  though  it  possesses  few  ancient  remains,  it  is  a  place  of  con- 
siderable antiquity,  for  Hugh  De  Lacy,  lord-deputy  of  Ireland,  erected 
a  castle  in  it  in  1 1 79,  to  protect  the  Anglo-Norman  settlers  from  the 
Irish.  It  was  made  a  borough  in  1208,  fortified  in  1362  by  the  Duke 
of  Clarence,  who  established  the  exchequer  of  the  kingdom  in  the  town, 
and  held  for  a  considerable  time  in  1397-8  by  Donald  Mac  Art,  who 
styled  himself  King  of  Leinster.  The  castle  was  captured  in  1494  by 
James,  brother  of  the  Earl  of  Kildare  ;  was  occupied  in  1534  by  Lord 
Thomas  Fitzgerald  during  his  rebellion  ;  was  besieged  by  Rory  Oge 
O'More,  and  compelled  to  surrender  in  1577,  when  the  town's  people 
were  inhumanly  massacred;  was  held  in  1642  by  Cromwell,  for  a  brief 
time,  and  in  1650  alternately  by  the  contending  parties,  till  it  was  finally 
occupied  by  the  Parliamentary  forces  under  Ireton  ;  while  to  complete 
the  military  history  of  the  town  we  may  add  that  the  Irish  were  on 
May  24th,  1798,  defeated  near  to  it  with  great  slaughter.  The  only 
remains  of  the  castle,  comprise  two  corner  towers  about  60  feet  in 
height,  with  a  connecting  wall.  Of  it,  however,  at  the  close  of  the 
last  century,  wrote  Sewaid,  "On  an  eminence,  overhanging  the  river 
Barrow,  stands  an  old  castle  of  an  oblong  square  area,  with  large  round 
towers  at  each  angle,  which  has  a  fine  effect;"  but  in  1814  a  physician, 
desirous  of  utilizing  the  spot  for  a  lunatic  asylum,  applied  gunpowder 
to  the  walls  of  the  old  fortress  in  order  to  reduce  their  thickness,  but 
so  effectually  as  to  almost  totally  demolish  the  structure.      It  is  to  be 


5i 


THE  UPPER  LIFFEY  AND  BEYOND  KILDARE. 


hoped  that  this  crazy  doctor's  friends  were  enabled  to  provide  him  with 
a  suitable  institution. 

Carlow  possesses  the  numerous  public  buildings  and  institutions 
incident  to  a  county  town,  the  principal  of  which,  the  court  house,  has 
a  most  attractive  front,  consisting  of  a  Doric  portico,  designed  after  that 
of  the  Parthenon  at  Athens.  It  is  also,  as  we  have  stated,  the  Episcopal 
residence  of  the  Roman  Catholic  bishop  of  the  diocese  of  Kildare,  whose 
cathedral  is  a  handsome  cruciform  building  in  the  pointed  style,  and  has 
over  its  ornamented  western  front  a  lofty  tower  surmounted  by  a  lantern, 
151  feet  high.  The  interior  contains  a  monument,  produced  at  Rome 
by  Hogan,  to  the  late  celebrated  Dr.  Doyle,  bishop  of  the  diocese,  whose 
remains  are  interred  at  the  foot  of  the  altar.  It  represents  the  bishop 
with  prostrate  Ireland  weeping  by  his  side,  and  its  execution  obtained 
for  the  sculptor  election  into  the  Institute  of  the  Virtuosi  of  the 
Pantheon  (the  oldest  society  of  the  kind  in  Europe),  his  name  being 
that  of  the  first  native  of  the  British  Isles  ever  inserted  in  the  sacred 
roll.  The  honor  will  be  better  appreciated  when  it  is  stated  that  the 
society  consists  of  only  45  members,  chosen  in  equal  proportions  from 
amongst  the  most  eminent  of  the  world's  sculptors,  painters,  and  architects. 
Close  to  the  cathedral  stands  a  Roman  Catholic  college,  opened  in  1 793 
for  the  education  of  divinity  students.  It  is  a  large,  handsome  building, 
situated  in  a  pleasant  wooded  park  of  34  acres,  past  which  the  Barrow 
lazily  glides.  The  town  also  contains  a  handsome  Protestant  Episcopal 
church,  with  lofty  and  elegant  spire,  and  several  other  places  of  worship. 
Its  population  was,  in  1871,  8344,  and  it  returns  one  member  to  the 
British  Parliament,  but  before  the  Union  it  sent  two  representatives  to 
the  Irish  House  of  Commons.  The  trade  of  Carlow  is  principally  in 
grain  and  in  the  manufacture  of  flour,  which  it  is  enabled  to  transport 
down  the  Barrow  to  the  port  of  New  Ross  and  Waterford  and  up  that 
river  to  Athy,  where  a  branch  of  the  Grand  Canal  gives  it  a  waterway 
to  Dublin. 

The  distance  between  Carlow  and  Dublin  by  railway  is  56  miles, 
and  we  now  return  by  that  iron  pathway  to  the  capital,  stepping  off 
the  train,  however,  five  miles  from  our  destination,  for  the  purpose  of 
viewing  the  Round  Tower  at  Clondalkin,  generally  taken  in  a  jaunting 
car  expedition  from  the  city.     The  pillar,  though   one   of  the  plainest 


ROUND  TOWER  OF  CLONDALKIN. 


55 


in  the  kingdom,  is  perhaps  the  most  visited,  in  consequence  of  its 
proximity  to  the  metropolis  It  is,  however,  in  an  excellent  state  of 
preservation,  is  about  85  feet  in  height,  15  feet  in  diameter,  and  like 
many  others  of  its  kind  has  a  doorway  12  feet  from  the  ground,  and 
four  square  openings  or  windows  near  the  summit,  which  like  them 
also  is  capped  by  a  conical  stone  roof.  The  interior  presents  no  traces 
of  a  staircase,  but  steps  have  been  raised  to  enable  the  visitor  to  reach 
the  uppermost  story,  from  whose  orifices  extremely  fine  prospects  are 
obtained  of  the  surrounding  country.  Though  the  tower  is  firmly 
built,  it  was  thought  advisable,  during  the  close  of  the  last  century,  to 
encase  its  base  for  about  a  dozen  feet  in  height  in  strong  mason  work, 
so  that  it  might  better  withstand  the  assaults  of  time.  And  it  is  most 
fortunate  that  it  was  thus  judiciously  guarded,  for  a  few  years  after  the 
addition  a  catastrophe  occurred  that,  but  for  the  protection  afforded, 
must  have  levelled  it  to  the  ground.  Some  extensive  powder  mills  in 
the  neighborhood  exploded,  and  the  tower  stood  uninjured,  though  the 
village  was  almost  laid  in  ruins,  and,  to  quote  a  journal  of  the  day, 
'•  the  earth  seemed  to  shake  from  the  very  centre,  and  ponderous 
masses  of  many  tons  in  weight  were  cast  to  the  distance  of  five  or 
six  fields."  Here  was  once  a  bishop's  see,  called  Cluain  Dolcain, 
eventually  merged  in  that  of  Dublin.  It  was  founded  by  the  abbot 
St.  Mochua,  who  flourished  in  the  seventh  century,  and,  though  an 
ecclesiastical  establishment  of  importance,  nothing  now  remains  of  the 
old  abbey,  which  it  is  certain  was  founded  here,  the  only  remnants 
of  antiquity  being  the  tower  and  a  granite  cross  in  the  church  yard. 
Amloffe,  the  Dane,  who  was  crowned  King  of  Dublin  by  his  followers 
in  852,  built  for  himself  a  royal  residence  at  Clondalkin,  and  it  has 
been  assumed  by  some  who  are  dear  to  the  theory  of  the  Danish 
origin  of  Round  Towers,  that  it  is  not  improbable  but  that  the  one 
here  pertained  to  the  rude  palace  of  the  rude  king.  The  place  con- 
tinued to  be  a  favorite  residence  of  the  barbarian  invaders  while  they 
maintained  their  sway  in  Ireland." 

Of  the  Round  Towers  of  Ireland  we  spoke  at  some   length  in  an 

*  One  of  the  most  famous  duels  ever  fought  in  Ireland  came  off  at  Clondalkin  ;  it  took  place  in  1815 
between  Daniel  O'Connell  and  Mr.  D'Esterre,  and  arose  from  a  political  quarrel.  It  resulted  in  Mr.  D'Esterre 
being  shot  dead,  and  in  Mr.  O'Connell  registering  a  vow,  frequently  referred  to  in  public  life  afterwards,  that 
he  would  thenceforth  refuse  to  be  a  party  to  similar  rencontres. 


56 


THE  UPPER  LIFFEY  AND  BEYOND  KILDARE. 


early  chapter  of  this  work,  and  it  is  therefore  unnecessary  for  us  to 
dilate  further  upon  the  mystery  attached  to  their  origin.  We  cannot, 
however,  refrain  from  quoting  some  remarks  on  the  subject  made  by 
Sir  John  Forbes  in  his  interesting  narrative  of  Irish  travel:  "Of  all 
the  relics  of  antiquity  still  preserved  in  Ireland — I  had  almost  said  in 
Europe — there  are  none  which,  in  my  mind,  can  vie  in  point  of 
attractiveness  with  these  towers.  No  one  who  sees  but  once  their 
beautiful,  lofty,  and  slender  shafts  shooting  up  into  the  sky,  and  dom- 
inating in  solitary  grandeur  the  surrounding  landscape — all  strikingly 
resembling  one  another,  and  resembling  nothing  else — but  must  be  struck 
with  admiration  and  curiosity  of  the  liveliest  kind.  And  yet  these 
primary  feelings  are  but  slight  in  degree^  when  compared  with  those 
which  are  excited  by  the  consideration  of  all  the  extraordinary  circum- 
stances involved  in  their  history.  That  these  towers  have  existed  for 
upwards  of  a  thousand  years  is  certain,  that  they  may  have  existed 
twice  or  thrice  that  period  is  far  from  improbable ;  but  that  the 
era  of  their  origin  and  the  object  of  their  erection  remain  as  secrets 
yet  to  be  unfolded,  are  circumstances  which  only  add  to  the  mysterious 
interest  which  attaches  to  them." 


MARINO  AND  CLONTARF. 


5? 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE   SEABOARD   ENVIRONS  OF  DUBLIN. 

Marino — Clontarf  and  its  Battle  Ground — Malahide  Castle — The  Widowed  Bride — Lambay — 
Ireland's  Eye — Howth  Castle  and  its  valiant  Possessors — The  Stolen  Heir — Howth  Harbor 
and  ancient  Abbey — Bailey  Lighthouse — Historical  Importance  of  the  Promontory — View 
of  Dublin  Bay — Kingstaivn  and  its  fine  Harbor — Dalkey  Atmospheric  Railway — Killiney 
Hill  and  the  view  therefrom — Mock  Kingdom  of  Dalkey — Killiney  Village  and  Bay — 
Ballybrack — Bray — Kilruddery  House  —  Bray  Head  and  its  prospect  —  Mount  Anville — 
Donnybrook  Fair. 

THE  environs  to  the  east  of  Dublin  present  a  very  different  aspect 
to  those  on  its  west,  as  here  the  ocean  and  the  bay,  with  their 
greater  and  lesser  expanses  of  water,  form  not  only  component,  but 
prominent  parts  in  nearly  every  picture.  Thanks  to  the  ample  accom- 
modations furnished  by  frequent  railway  trains,  we  were  enabled  to 
survey  these  environs  by  their  aid,  supplemented  by  that  of  a  jaunting 
car  or  two  to  visit  outlying  places.  Turning  our  steps  then  first 
towards  Malahide,  nine  miles  to  the  northeast,  we  took  the  train  at 
the  Amiens  Street  Station,  passed  over  a  portion  of  the  city  by  a 
viaduct,  and  over  the  Royal  Canal  by  an  iron  bridge,  and  soon  found 
ourselves  traversing  Clontarf  sands  on  an  embankment,  which  afforded  us 
on  the  left  pictures  of  many  suburban  residences,  while  on  the  right 
we  had  a  fine  panorama  of  the  harbor  and  its  shipping,  of  the  whole 
extent  of  Dublin  Bay  and  of  its  opposite  shore,  with  the  Dublin  and 
Wicklow  Mountains  in  the  background.  On  the  left,  too,  we  saw  the 
entrance  gateway  to  the  beautiful  demesne  of  Marino,  with  its  lofty 
Doric  temple  built  by  Sir  W.  Chambers,  until  recently  the  property  of 
the  Earl  of  Charlemont,  but  purchased  shortly  before  his  death  by  the 
late  Cardinal  Cullen  for  the  uses  of  a  ladies'  home  ;  while  on  the 
right  we  also  had  the  pleasant  little  village  of  Clontarf,  with  its  castle, 

H.-37 


58 


THE  SEABOARD  ENVIRONS  OF  DUBLIN. 


a  modern  structure  of  the  Norman  style,  built  on  the  site  of  the 
ancient  castle  of  the  Vernons,  long  owners  of  the  land. 

Clontarf  (Chiain-tarf,  meadow  of  bulls),  is  a  name  noted  in  Irish 
annals,  for  on  its  plain  was  fought  on  Good  Friday,  April  23d,  1014, 
that  memorable  and  decisive  battle  between  Sitric,  King  of  the  Ostmen, 
and  Brian  Boroimhe,  which,  though  it  destroyed  the  domination  of  the 
Danes  in  Ireland,  lost  the  country  its  popular  monarch  and  11,000  of 
the  flower  of  his  army.  And  such  was  the  respect  with  which  the 
Irish  king  was  held,  that  after  his  death  his  body  was  treated  by  the 
ecclesiastics  with  marked  distinction.  It  was,  we  read,  in  accordance 
with  his  will,  "  conveyed  to  Armagh.  First,  the  clergy  of  Swords*  in 
solemn  procession  brought  it  to  their  abbey,  from  thence  the  next 
morning  the  clergy  of  Damliag  (Duleck)  conducted  it  to  the  church  of 
St.  Kiaran.  Here  the  clergy  of  Louth  (Lughmach)  attended  the  corpse 
to  their  own  monastery.  The  Archbishop  of  x^rmagh  with  his  suffragans 
and  clergy  received  the  body  at  Louth,  whence  it  was  conveyed  to 
their  cathedral.  For  twelve  days  and  nights  it  was  watched  by  the 
clergy,  during  which  time  there  was  a  continual  scene  of  prayers  and 
devotion."  It  was  at  Clontarf  that  O'Connell  called  his  last  "  monster 
repeal  meeting"  to  be  held  on  Sunday,  October  8,  1843;  but  the 
preparations  included  a  body  of  "  repeal  cavalry,"  and  had  such  a 
military  air  that  the  government  interfered,  and  issued  a  proclamation 
on  the  previous  day  warning  persons  against  endangering  the  public 
peace  by  attending  the  meeting,  which  led  to  O'Connell  countermanding 
the  same  and  the  public  generally  absenting  themselves. 

Continuing  our  course  we  ran  for  a  time  through  a  deep  cutting, 
having  half  a  mile  to  our  right  Artane,  in  1534  the  scene  of  the 
murder  of  Cardinal  Wolsey's  protege,  John  Allen,  Archbishop  of  Dublin, 
while  flying  from  the  resentment  of  Lord  Thomas  Fitzgerald,  and  which 
event  is  supposed  to  have  resulted  from  the  misconception  of  a  com- 
mand given  by  the  latter   to    his    retainers ;    and    then    hurried    on  to 

*  Swords  lies  three  miles  to  the  west  of  Malahide,  and  was  anciently  an  ecclesiastical  place  of  note,  a 
church,  founded  there  by  St.  Columb  in  512,  having  subsequently  been  made  the  seat  of  a  bishopric  by  St. 
Finian.  It  contains  a  Round  Tower  73  feet  high,  complete  with  conical  cap,  and  possessing  a  doorway  three 
feet  above,  and  a  similar  aperture  20  feet  above  the  ground  ;  and  an  embattled  and  turretcd  castle,  once  the 
archiepiscopal  residence  of  the  prelates  of  Dublin,  which  along  with  the  town  is  said  to  have  been  destroyed  no  less 
than  four  times  by  the  Danes.    Previous  to  the  Union  the  town  returned  two  members  to  the  Irish  Parliament. 


M ALA  HIDE  AND   ITS  CASTLE. 


59 


Malahide,  passing  the  junction,  whence  a  short  branch  line  shoots 
eastward  to  Howth  and  Ireland's  Eye. 

Malahide  stands  in  a  very  secluded  spot  upon  a  creek  of  the  Irish 
sea,  and  promised  at  one  time  to  become  an  important  sea-port,  in 
consequence  of  the  inlet  on  whose  margin  it  stands  possessing  sufficient 
depth  to  admit  vessels  of  considerable  tonnage,  and  from  its  being 
guarded  against  the  violence  of  storms  by  the  adjacent  islands  of 
Lambay  and  Ireland's  Eye,  and  thus  rendered  a  safe  asylum  in  all 
states  of  the  weather.  "  These  advantages,"  says  Wright,  "  were  fully 
appreciated  by  our  ancestors,  and  the  preference  given  to  the  little  cove 
of  Malahide  excited  the  keen  envy  of  the  corporation  of  Dublin,  who 
caused  a  fine  to  be  imposed  upon  Sir  Peter  Talbot,  of  Malahide 
Castle,  for  suffering  vessels  to  break  bulk  at  this  port,  contrary  to  the 
king's  grants  made  to  the  city  of  Dublin."  Previous  to  the  opening 
of  the  Dublin  &  Drogheda  Railway,  Malahide  was  mainly  the  abode 
of  fishermen,  who  derived  profit  and  the  village  fame  from  the  excellent 
quality  of  the  oysters  it  supplied  to  the  Dublin  market.  It  is  now, 
however,  much  resorted  to  by  sea-bathers,  who  find  accommodations  in 
a  commodious  hotel  and  several  large  and  handsome  boarding-houses. 
But  the  most  attractive  feature  in  the  place  is  the  castle,  the  ivy-clad 
baronial  residence  of  the  Talbots,  originally  erected  in  the  reign  ot 
Henry  II..  but  subjected  at  various  times  to  much  re-edification,  in 
which,  however,  the  ancient  character  of  the  building  has  been  retained. 

The  lordship  of  Malahide  was  granted  by  Henry  II.  to  Richard 
Talbot,  an  ancestor  of  the  present  proprietor,  the  Earl  of  Shrewsbury 
and  Talbot,  and  the  eldest  representative  of  Sir  Geoffrey  Talbot,  who 
held  Hereford  Castle  against  King  Stephen  for  the  Empress  Maud. 
He  was  contemporary  with  Sir  Amoricus,  of  Howth,  of  whom  we  shall 
shortly  speak,  and  other  bold  adventurers,  who  sought  acquisitions  by 
the  sword  at  a  time  when  disorganization  amongst  the  inhabitants 
appears  to  have  left  their  country  an  easy  prey.  Of  all  the  successful 
warriors  whose  grants  were  confirmed  and  enjoyed  by  their  descendants, 
the  Talbots  and  St.  Lawrences  alone  continue  in  possession — attainder 
dispossessed  some,  improvidence  impoverished  others.  The  first  Talbot 
who  settled  here  was  induced  by  his  piety  to  grant  away  a  portion  of 
his  estate,  called  Mallagh-hide-beg,  to  the  Abbey  of  St.  Mary's  in  Dublin. 


60 


THE  SEABOARD  ENVIRONS  OF  DUBLIN. 


It  may  be  mentioned,  in  continuation  of  the  family  history,  that  Thomas 
Talbot  was  summoned  to  parliament  in  1372,  by  the  style  and  title  of 
Lord  Talbot  de  Mallagh-hide ;  and  that  in  the  year  1475,  by  a  grant  of 
Edward  IV.,  in  addition  to  the  different  manorial  rights  and  privileges 
of  holding  courts  leet  and  baron  within  his  lordship,  the  Lord  of 
Malahide  was  created  high-admiral  of  the  seas,  with  power  to  hear  and 
determine  upon  all  offenses  committed  upon  the  high  seas  or  elsewhere, 
by  the  tenants,  vassals,  or  residents  of  the  manor  of  Malahide.  In  the 
dark  records  of  1641  Thomas  Talbot  was  proclaimed  an  outlaw,  for 
having  been  a  participator  in  the  Irish  rebellion  ;  and,  in  1653,  a  lease 
was  granted  of  the  hall  of  his  forefathers,  together  with  five  hundred 
acres  of  land,  for  a  period  of  seven  years,  to  Myles  Corbet,  the  regicide, 
who  for  some  time  sustained  the  weight  of  his  guilt  within  its  walls. 

The  exterior  of  the  castle  appears  venerable,  and  the  principal  front 
displays  much  grandeur.  The  latter  consists  of  a  centre  of  strong 
masonry  pierced  with  windows,  flanked  by  two  lofty,  handsome  drum 
towers,  finished  with  a  graduated  parapet,  The  entrance  is  through  a 
low  pointed  doorway  in  the  northern  front,  giving  access  by  a  spiral 
staircase  to  the  oak  parlor,  represented  in  our  view  of  the  Interior  of 
a  Room  in  Malahide  Castle.  This  ancient  apartment  is  the  most 
interesting  in  this  spacious  and  comfortable  residence  ;  it  is  lined  with 
dark  oak  highly  polished,  divided  into  small  compartments,  and  orna- 
mented with  rich  carvings  of  figures  in  small  life,  chiefly  scriptural 
subjects.  It  is  asserted  that  during  the  possession  of  the  castle  by 
the  regicide  the  little  effigy  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  which  occupied  the 
panel  immediately  above  the  chimney-piece,  miraculously  disappeared,  and 
that  in  a  manner  equally  unaccountable  it  returned  to  its  position  upon 
Corbet's  flight  from  Malahide.  A  window,  whose  light  is  derived 
through  the  medium  of  the  stained  glass  that  adorns  it,  augments  the 
gloomy  effect  produced  by  the  solemn  character  of  the  architectural 
decorations,  and  reminds  the  spectator  of  the  proud  spirits  of  these 
halls  that  have  passed  away  from  their  earthly  grandeur.  Other  ages 
find  here  their  illustration  in  coats-of-mail,  visors,  gauntlets,  and  greaves 
of  ponderous  cast,  exhibited  to  the  curious.  The  other  state  apartments 
are  spacious,  yet  comfortable,  but  have  lost  much  of  their  interest  by 
being  deprived  of  all  their  original  furniture  and  decorations. 


"  THE  BRIDAL  OF  MALAHIDE." 


B1 


The  paintings  which  adorn  the  walls  of  the  castle  are  of  the 
highest  merit ;  and  the  manner  of  their  acquisition  confers  upon  them 
a  deep  degree  of  interest  The  portraits  of  Charles  I.  and  his  queen 
are  by  Vandyke  ;  of  James  II.  and  his  queen  by  Sir  Peter  Lely.  A 
fascinating  portrait  of  the  Duchess  of  Portsmouth,  together  with  one  of 
her  son,  the  first  Duke  of  Richmond,  were  the  gifts  of  that  celebrated 
lady  to  Mrs.  Wogan.  from  whom  they  have  passed  as  heirlooms  to  the 
present  owner.  There  are  also  a  half-length  of  King  James'  faithful 
adherent,  Talbot,  Duke  of  Tyrconnel.  and  portraits  of  his  daughters,  by 
Sir  Peter  Lely,  and  one  of  Queen  Anne,  by  Sir  Godfrey  Kneller.  But 
the  chef-d'oeuvre  of  this  collection  is  an  exquisite  painting  by  Albert 
Durer,  intended  for  an  altar-piece,  and  representing  the  Nativity, 
Adoration,  and  Circumcision,  divided,  as  was  his  manner,  into  compart- 
ments. It  originally  belonged  to  Man*.  Queen  of  Scots,  whose  oratory 
at  Holyrood  it  is  said  to  have  decorated,  and  was  purchased  for  ^2000 
by  Charles  II..  who  presented  it  to  the  Duchess  of  Portsmouth,  while 
she  was  in  high  favor  at  court.  There  are  also  several  portraits  by 
Canaletti,  Cuyp.  Vandyke,  and  other  celebrated  painters. 

Near  to  the  castle,  and  embowered  in  a  thick  grove  of  chestnuts, 
that  in  their  leaf)*  honors  cast  a  melancholy  gloom  upon  the  picture, 
are  the  roofless  ruins  of  a  venerable  abbey — silent,  sad,  and  solitary  ; 
its  seclusion  made  more  striking  by  a  low  and  lonely  tomb  standing 
in  its  centre,  and  bearing  the  recumbent  effigy,  in  the  costume  of  the 
fifteenth  century,  of  Maud,  daughter  of  Baron  Plunkett  of  Killeen.  who 
in  early  life  was  betrothed  to  the  young  Lord  of  Galtrim.  and  became 
the  heroine  of  Griffin's  charming-  ballad.  "The  Bridal  of  Malahide": 

"  Before  the  high  altar  young  Maud  stands  arrayed, 
With  accents  that  falter  her  promise  is  made, 


From  falluT  and  mother  forever  to  part, 
7:r         ir.i        zzztz  ::  ~zzszr±  htr  Lear:. 

"  The  words  are  repeated — the  bridal  is  done, 
Tzt  rite      ..  —  z.i.ti — ±e  — :   izzy  ire  :z.z  : 
The  tow,  it  is  spoken  all  pore  from  the  heart, 
T~zz:  ~z.i:  -::  be  trtket:  till  life  i'r.L'.  itzisz. 

'  Kiri:     ~:i  tie  ;it  -  -'- -  -  :;  — -i^=  :  iitir  -=-t 

L:~i  ir:=-:i  ir  irztr  ::—  t  ~'-z'lz.z  ~-i=s. 


THE  SEABOARD  ENVIRONS  OF  DUBLIN. 


As  wakes  the  good  shepherd,  the  watchful  and  bold, 
When  the  ounce  or  the  leopard  is  seen  in  the  fold, 
So  rises  already  the  chief  in  his  mail, 
While  the  new-married  lady  looks  fainting  and  pale. 
***** 

"  Hark  !  loud  from  the  mountain  'tis  Victory's  cry, 
O'er  woodland  and  fountain  it  rings  to  the  sky, 
The  foe  has  retreated — he  flies  to  the  shore, 
The  spoilers  defeated — the  combat  is  o'er. 

"  With  foreheads  unruffled  the  conquerors  come; 
But  why  have  they  muffled  the  lance  and  the  drum  ? 
What  form  do  they  carry  aloft  on  his  shield  ? 
And  where  does  he  tarry,  the  lord  of  the  field? 

"  Ye  saw  him  at  morning,  how  gallant  and  gay, 
In  bridal  adorning,  the  star  of  the  day  : 
Now  weep  for  the  lover — his  triumph  is  sped, 
His  hope  it  is  over — the  chieftain  is  dead. 

"  But  O  for  the  maiden  who  mourns  for  that  chief, 
With  heart  overladen  and  rending  with  grief, 
She  sinks  on  the  meadow  in  one  morning  tide, 
A  wife  and  a  widow,  a  maid  and  a  bride." 

The  lady,  however,  lived  long  enough  to  assuage  her  grief  by  two 
subsequent  marriages,  her  third  husband  being  Sir  Richard  Talbot,  of 
Malahide. 

The  scenery  around  the  castle  is  of  a  tame  and  sombre  kind.  The 
ancient  moat  is  filled  up  and  transformed  into  a  sloping  bank  planted 
with  shrubs,  while  stately  timber  everywhere  ornaments  the  park.  The 
sea-view  which  the  mansion  commands  is  terminated  and  adorned  by 
the  picturesque  island  of  Lambay,  rising  with  much  boldness  for  over 
400  feet  above  the  water,  about  three  miles  from  the  coast,  and 
occupying  an  area  of  about  a  square  mile.  This  islet  possesses  some 
good  pasturage,  is  inhabited  by  about  100  persons,  and  is  occasionally 
visited  by  its  proprietor,  Lord  Talbot  of  Malahide,  when  he  occupies 
an  ancient,  small,  polygonal  castle,  said  to  have  been  built  for  defence  by 
John  Challoner,  about  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century,  and  some 
years  ago  rescued  from  ruin  to  form  a  sporting  lodge.  Mr.  Dalton,  in 
his  "  History  of  the  County  of  Dublin,"  states  "  that  so  early  as  the  days 
of  Pliny  Lambay  was  known  by  the  name  of  Limnus  or  Limni,  and 
that    in    11 84    Prince    John    bestowed    it    on    the    see    of   Dublin,  an 


HILL  AND  CASTLE  OF  HOWTH. 


R3 


endowment  which  Pope  Clement  the  Third  confirmed  in  118S.  In  1551 
it  was,  with  the  consent  of  Christ's  Church,  let  to  John  Challoner,  and 
in  the  time  of  Elizabeth  to  Sir  William  Ussher,  ancestor  to  the 
celebrated  primate  Ussher.  The  latter  is  said  to  have  retired  there 
during  the  continuance  of  a  plague  in  Dublin,  and  during  his  abode 
to  have  composed  some  of  his  works." 

The  railway  proceeds  from  Malahide  to  Drogheda,  but  as  there  is 
little  of  interest  between  those  two  places,  and  as  we  proposed  to 
approach  the  latter  by  the  course  of  the  Boyne,  we  now  returned 
towards  Dublin,  and  midway,  at  the  junction,  switched  off  for  between 
three  and  four  miles  to  Howth.  The  views,  both  coastwise  and 
inland,  as  we  swept  along  the  short  branch  line,  were  singularly 
attractive  ;  and,  as  we  approached  the  promontory  of  Howth,  the  shores 
became  bold  and  rugged,  but  picturesque.  The  peninsula,  or,  as  it  is 
usually  called,  the  Hill  of  Howth,  juts  into  the  sea  and  forms  the 
northern  headland  of  Dublin  Bay,  the  little  town  and  harbor  with  the 
Castle  of  Howth  being  pleasantly  situated  on  the  northern  side  of 
the  peninsula,  and  under  the  shelter  of  the  hill  which  rises  precipit- 
ously behind  them.  The  town,  or  more  properly  the  village,  consists 
of  one  straggling  street,  and,  like  Malahide,  was  in  late  years  almost 
the  sole  abode  of  hardv  fishermen,  but  is  now  in  summer  time  a 
favorite  resort  of  those  who  woo  the  sfoddess  of  health  through  the 
medium  of  the  breezes  and  waters  of  the  ocean.  Viewed  from  a 
favorable  point  on  the  commanding  eminence  of  the  hill,  the  white 
battlements  of  the  venerable  castle  are  seen  emerging  from  the  thick 
woods  in  which  it  is  embosomed  ;  lower  down  the  square  tower  of 
Howth  Church  shows  itself  above  the  trees  ;  and  beyond  these  the 
harbor  and  piers,  the  sea-worn  islands  of   Ireland's  Eye*  and  Lambay, 

*  Ireland's  Eye,  a  rocky  islet  lying  about  a  mile  from  the  north  side  of  the  Hill  of  Howth,  is  only  53  acres 
in  extent.  Its  ancient  name  was  Inis-mac-Nessan,  the  "  Isle  of  the  Sons  of  Nessan."  Its  present  name  seems 
to  have  been  derived  from  the  Danes,  in  whose  language  "Ey"  signifies  an  island;  hence,  Lambey,  Anglesey, 
Jersey,  etc.  A  huge  rock,  on  its  eastern  extremity,  evidently  riven  asunder  by  some  convulsion  of  nature,  pre- 
sents a  very  singular  appearance.  The  ruins  of  a  small  abbey,  with  a  portion  of  a  Round  Tower  attached,  said 
to  have  been  built  by  St.  Nessan  or  his  sons  in  the  sixth  or  seventh  century,  still  exists.  In  this  quiet  sanctuary 
was  preserved  the  celebrated  book  of  the  Four  Gospels,  called  "The  Garland  of  Howth,"  which,  according  to 
Archbishop  Alan,  was  "held  in  so  much  esteem  and  veneration  that  good  men  scarcely  dare  take  an  oath  on  it 
for  fear  of  the  judgments  of  God  being  immediately  shown  on  those  who  should  forswear  themselves."  To  the 
southward  of  Ireland's  Eye  is  a  smaller  islet  of  about  one  acre,  called  Thulla,  and  connected  with  it  by  a  sub- 
merged reef,  over  which  the  angry  waters  sometimes  foam  with  considerable  turbulence. 


64 


THE  SEABOARD  ENVIRONS  OF  DUBLIN. 


and  the  vast  expanse  of  sea  constantly  enlivened  by  the  appearance  of 
ships  and  boats  under  sail,  form  a  picture  whose  scene  is  varied  as  it 
is  beautiful  and  extensive. 

Howth  Castle,  situated  west  of  the  village  and  immediately  above 
the  railway  station,  is  the  venerable  mansion  of  the  ancient  family  of 
St.  Lawrence,  ennobled  in  1 1 77  by  the  baronial  title  of  Howth,  and 
advanced  to  an  earldom  in  1767.  It  is  an  object  of  considerable 
antiquarian  and  pictorial  interest.  The  estate  it  was  constructed  to 
protect  includes  the  whole  romantic  peninsula  of  Howth,  and,  unlike 
most  Irish  estates,  has  continued  in  the  family  without  increase  or 
diminution  for  upwards  of  seven  centuries.  The  castle,  which  from 
repeated  alterations  contains  little  of  its  original  character,  is  a  long, 
plain,  embattled  edifice,  flanked  by  square  towers.  The  entrance  hall 
is  spacious,  and  approached  from  the  courtyard  by  an  external  flight 
of  steps  leading  to  a  terrace  on  the  level  of  the  principal  apartments, 
of  which  the  drawing  room  commands  a  fine  view  of  a  portion  of  the 
park  and  of  the  craggy  rocks  surrounding  it. 

The  great  ancestor  of  the  Howth  family  was  the  valorous  Sir 
Amoricus  Tristram,*  one  of  the  first  Anglo-Norman  adventurers,  who 
obtained  by  conquest  the  lands  and  title  of  the  estate.  It  is  recorded 
that  in  1189,  when  the  Irish  resolved  upon  an  effort  to  regain  their 
country  upon  the  recall  of  De  Courcy  from  the  government,  and  upon 
the  latter  being  in  danger,  Sir  Amoricus,  then  in  Connaught,  desired 
to  hasten  to  his  assistance,  for  which  purpose  he  set  out  accompanied 
by  30  knights  and  200  footmen.  But  O'Connor,  king  of  Connaught, 
understanding  his  design,  assembled  all  his  forces  to  intercept  his 
march,  and    unperceived    surrounded    his    devoted   band.     Sir  Amoricus 

*  The  original  name  of  the  family  is  said  to  have  been  Tristram,  and  its  great  founder  a  Knight  of  the 
"  Round  Table."  The  name  was  changed  in  consequence  of  the  vow  of  one  of  its  members,  who  fought  with 
the  Danes  at  Clontarf,  to  assume  that  of  his  patron  saint  if  he  obtained  the  victory.  This  he  did,  and  was 
thence  called  St.  Lawrence.  In  the  year  1177,  when  Sir  John  De  Courcy  was  ordered  to  Ireland,  he  entered 
into  an  agreement  with  Sir  Amoricus  Tristram,  a  worthy  knight  and  his  brother-in-law,  that  "whatever  they 
should  win  in  any  land,  either  by  service  or  otherwise,  they  should  divide  between  them."  They  landed  at 
Howth,  where  they  were  opposed  by  the  Irish,  whom  they  defeated  ;  and  the  victory  being  mainly  attributable 
to  the  valor  and  skill  of  Amorey,  the  title  and  lands  of  Howth  were  allotted  to  him  ;  but  they  were  dearly 
purchased,  for  he  lost  in  the  encounter  "seven  sons,  uncles,  and  nephews."  The  Bridge  of  Evora,  where  the 
battle  is  said  to  have  been  fought,  crosses  a  mountain  stream  that  falls  into  the  sea  on  the  north  side  of 
Howth,  nearly  opposite  the  west  end  of  Ireland's  Eye. — Hall. 


HOWTH  CASTLE  AND  ITS  ASSOCIATIONS. 


66 


animated  his  men  to  attack  the  enemy  ;  but,  perceiving  that  some  of 
his  horsemen  seemed  inclined  to  preserve  themselves  in  flight,  dis- 
mounted, and  drawing  his  sword  exclaimed,  "  Who  will  may  preserve 
his  life  by  flight  on  horseback,  but  assuredly  my  heart  will  not  suffer 
me  to  leave  these,  my  poor  friends,  with  whom  I  would  sooner  die  in 
honor  than  live  with  you  in  dishonor."  And  then  thrusting  his  sword 
into  his  horse's  side  declared  that  he  should  never  serve  against  those 
whom  he  had  thus  far  so  truly  and  worthily  served.  The  example 
was  followed  by  all  the  horsemen  except  two.  who  were  ordered  to 
proceed  to  a  neighboring  hill,  where  they  were  to  watch  the  issue  of 
the  unequal  conflict  and  carry  information  thereof  to  the  chieftain's 
brother.  The  enemy,  said  to  be  20,000  strong,  were  then  met  with 
such  desperate  energy  that  one  thousand  were  slain  ;  but  the  numbers 
were  so  overpowering  that  Sir  Amoricus  and  his  brave  followers 
perished  to  a  man.  There  is  another  well  known  and  romantic 
tradition  connected  with  this  family,  the  story  of  which  we  will  give 
in  the  words  of  Dr.  Walsh  :  "  The  celebrated  Grana  Uille,  or  Grace 
O'Malley,  noted  for  her  piratical  depredations  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth, 
returning  on  a  certain  time  from  England,  where  she  had  paid  a  visit 
to  the  Virgin  Queen,  landed  at  Howth  and  proceeded  to  the  castle. 
It  was  the  hour  of  dinner,  but  the  gates  were  shut.  Shocked  at  an 
exclusion  so  repugnant  to  her  notions  of  Irish  hospitality,  she  imme- 
diately proceeded  to  the  shore  where  the  young  lord  was  at  nurse, 
and  seizing  the  child  she  embarked  with  him  and  sailed  to  Connaught, 
where  her  own  castle  stood.  After  a  time,  however,  she  restored  the 
child,  with  the  express  stipulation  that  the  gates  should  be  thrown 
open  when  the  family  went  to  dinner — a  practice  which  is  observed  to 
this  day."  A  painting  illustrative  of  this  event  is  exhibited  in  the 
castle.  There  is  also  to  be  seen  in  the  hall  a  collection  of  weapons, 
and  amongst  them  the  two-handed  sword  said  to  have  been  wielded 
•by  the  ancestor  who  won  renown  and  the  name  of  St.  Lawrence  at 
the  battle  of  Clontarf. 

The  harbor  of  Howth,  which  lies  just  below  the  castle,  encloses  an 
area  of  52  statute  acres,  and  was  constructed  in  1807,  according  to  the 
plans  of  the  celebrated  civil  engineer  John   Rennie,  at  a  cost  of  about 
half  a  million  pounds.     Its  entrance  is  marked  by  a  lighthouse,  and  it 
11.— 33 


66 


THE  SEABOARD  ENVIRONS  OF  DUBLIN. 


was  originally  intended  as  a  station  for  the  Holyhead  mail-packets,  when 
sailing  vessels  were  employed  in  that  service  ;  but  since  the  introduction 
of  steamers,  and  the  completion  of  the  harbor  at  Kingstown,  the  packet 
station  has  been  transferred  to  the  latter  place,  and  that  of  Howth  has 
been  abandoned  to  fishermen,  who,  however,  make  it  a  busy  spot,  some- 
times crowding  it  with  as  many  as  700  boats.  These  constantly  land 
immense  "takes"  of  cod-fish  and  herrings,  which  are  salted  down  in 
barrels  and  immediately  despatched  to  Liverpool  and  other  English 
ports.  It  was  at  Howth  that  George  IV.  landed,  August  12,  182 1, 
upon  his  noted  visit  to  his  Irish  dominions. 

The  ancient  abbey  of  Howth  is  romantically  situated  on  a  cliff 
overhanging  the  ocean,  and  is  said  to  have  been  founded  in  1235  by 
Luke,  Archbishop  of  Dublin,  on  the  removal  of  the  prebendal  church 
from  Ireland's  Eye.  The  most  beautiful  portion  is  an  eastern  triplet 
window,  which  with  the  ruined  belfry  is  probably  the  oldest.  The 
interior  contains  some  monuments  to  the  Lords  of  Howth,  many  of 
whom  have  here  found  a  last  resting  place.  The  church  is  dedicated 
to  the  Blessed  Virgin,  hence  styled  St.  Mary's,  and  being  surrounded 
by  a  strong  embattled  wall  presents  a  striking  evidence  of  the  semi- 
religious,  semi-military  character  of  sacred  places  at  the  period  of  its 
erection,  and  affords  an  index  to  the  general  state  of  society  at  that  time. 

The  promontory  of  Howth  is  two  and  a  half  miles  in  length  by 
two  miles  in  breadth,  and  contains  an  area  of  about  2600  statute  acres. 
It  is,  in  fact,  a  peninsula,  being  connected  with  the  mainland  by  a 
sandy  isthmus  three  quarters  of  a  mile  in  width,  traversed  by  the  road 
and  railway.  Its  surface  is  varied,  the  lands  of  its  shore  being  mainly 
arable,  while  in  the  centre  it  is  elevated  and  rocky,  the  ridge  of  the 
hills  being  extremely  diversified,  and  the  summit  attaining  an  altitude 
of  563  feet  above  the  sea  level.  The  "  big  Hill  of  Howth,"  as  it  is 
not  unfrequently  called,*  rises  immediately  behind  the  village  and  gives 

*  "By  the  big  hill  of  Howth, 

That's  a  lump  of  an  oath." — Irish  Song. 

The  history  of  the  Hill  of  Howth,  (anciently  called  Ben  Heder,  or  Benadar,  the  Mountain  of  Birds) 
is,  according  to  Keating,  coeval  with  the  flood.  A  chieftain  of  the  race  of  Japhet,  named  Parthelon, 
soon  alter  took  possession  of  Ireland.  He  held  sway  over  the  country  for  30  years,  when  he  and  his 
whole  race  were  swept  away  by  a  plague,    the  Hill  of  Howth  being  the  scene  of  its  most  awful  ravages. 


THE  BIG  HILL  OF  HOIVTH. 


its  name  to  the  entire  peninsula.    Of  its  early  history  the  poet  has  sung : — 

"Fair  hill,  on  thee  great  Finn  of  old 
Was  wont  his  counsels  sage  to  hold ; 
On  thee  rich  bowls  the  Fenians  crowned, 
And  passed  the  foaming  beverage  round. 

" 'T  was  thine  within  a  sea-washed  cave 
To  hide  and  shelter  Duivne  brave, 
When,  snared  by  Grace's  charms  divine, 
He  bore  her  o'er  the  raging  brine." 

"  The  Hill  of  Howth,"  says  Frazer,  "  from  its  projected  and  almost 
isolated  position  on  the  bay,  from  its  bold  shores  and  elevation  above 
the  sea,  is  a  remarkable  feature  from  the  city,  the  sea,  and  all  the 
country  around  ;  and  from  its  rocky  sides  and  summits  the  most  varied, 
the  most  extensive,  and  the  most  lovely  views  are  obtained  of  the  bay  and 
its  shores,  the  city  and  the  country  lying  around.  On  the  east  is  seen 
a  boundless  expanse  of  ocean  ;  on  the  south,  the  bay,  its  shores  studded 
with  villas  from  the  metropolis  to  Dalkey,  a  distance  of  nine  miles, 
with  all  the  mountains  appertaining  to  the  counties  of  Dublin  and 
YVicklow  stretched  out  in  long  array  ;  on  the  west,  the  northern 
portion  of  the  bay,  its  villa-clad  shores,  the  city  with  its  piers  and 
harbors  backed  by  the  trees  of  the  fertile  plain  which  uninterruptedly 
stretches  westward  to  the  Atlantic  ;  and  on  the  north,  the  great  extent 
of  champaign  lands,  whose  visual  limits  are  the  mountains  of  Armagh 
and  Down,  and  whose  fiat  shores  are  girt  by  the  ocean,  the  limited 
portion  of  which,  before  us,  is  beautifully  diversified  by  the  islands  of 
Lambay  and  Ireland's  Eye." 

Two  roads  lead  from  the  town  of  Howth  to  the  eastern  extremity 
of  the  peninsula,  near  the  Baily  Lighthouse,  by  which  in  a  distance  of 
six  miles  a  complete  circuit  can  be  made  of  it.  The  lighthouse  is 
situated  upon  a  point  of  land  at  the  extreme  head,  detached  from  the 
promontory  by  a  deep  ravine,  and  which  has  obtained,  from  its  constant 
bright  verdure,  the  name  of  the  Green  Baily,*  signifying  the  "  green 
town/      Here,  it  is  said,  the  remnant  of  the  Danes  who  escaped  from 

*  The  name  Baily  is  probably  derived  from  Ballium,  as  an  ancient  stone  fortress  formerly  occupied 
the  site  of  the  lighthouse;  "and,"  says  Murray,  "it  is  believed  that  these  remains,  which  are  still  faintly 
visible,  indicated  the  residence  of  Crimthann-Niadhnair,  who  reigned  over  Ireland  about  the  year  10,  and 
whose  sepulchral  cairn  crowns  the  summit  of  Sliath  Martin." 


68 


THE  SEABOARD  ENVIRONS  OF  DUBLIN. 


the  battle  of  Clontarf  insulated  themselves  by  digging  a  fosse,  and 
defended  their  little  fortress  until  they  were  carried  off  in  their 
vessels.  The  lighthouse  stands  110  feet  above  high  water  mark,  and 
was  constructed  in  1814,  to  supersede  one  erected  on  a  steep  cliff  close 
by,  whose  light  was  at  times  rendered  uncertain  from  the  mists  which 
often  obscured  the  head.  The  illuminating  power  of  the  lighthouse 
is  supplied  by  gas,  and  the  light  is  the  most  intense  of  any  upon  the 
Irish  coast,  being  visible  at  sea  for  a  distance  of  over  twelve  miles. 
The  appearance  of  the  lighthouse  upon  entering  the  harbor  is  very 
striking,  apparently  standing  on  an  insulated  rock  ;  while  the  view  from 
its  galleries  is  equally  fine,  and  affords  a  magnificent  panorama  of 
Dublin  Bay,  the  numerous  villages  that  dot  its  southern  shore,  and  the 
line  of  coast  southward  to  Bray  Head,  with,  at  its  very  foot,  the  fatal 
rocks  upon  which  the  "  Queen  Victoria,"  Liverpool  and  Dublin  steamer, 
struck  in  February,  1853.  That  melancholy  event  occurred  in  a  snow 
storm,  and  has  afforded  a  theme  for  many  heart-rending  stories  of 
suffering  and  death,  for  in  it  59  out  of  112  passengers,  and  the  captain 
and  all  his  officers  perished. 

We  had  not  time  to  visit,  and  it  is  equally  impossible  for  us  to 
describe,  even  a  tenth  of  the  peculiar  features,  historical  scenes,  and 
objects  of  antiquity,  incident  to  the  promontory  of  Howth,  which,  says 
that  minute  and  descriptive  observer,  Mr.  Petrie,  "  would  in  itself  supply 
abundant  materials  for  a  topographical  volume — and  a  most  interesting 
work  it  might  be  made.  For  the  geologist,  botanist,  and  naturalist,  it 
has  an  abundant  store  of  attractions  ;  while  its  various  ancient  monu- 
ments of  every  class  and  age,  from  the  regal  fortress,  the  sepulchral 
cairn,  and  the  cromlech  of  Pagan  times,  to  the  early  Christian  oratory, 
the  abbey  and  the  baronial  hall  of  later  years,  would  supply  an  equally 
ample  stock  of  materials  for  the  antiquary  and   the  historian." 

The  railway  which  was  mainly  instrumental  in  affording  us  an  op- 
portunity to  view  the  north-eastern  environs  of  Dublin,  was  equally 
available  for  our  visit  to  its  charming  south-eastern  suburbs.  For  this 
latter  purpose  we  entered  one  of  the  carriages  of  the  Dublin  and 
Kingstown  road  at  Westland  Row,  and  traversed  for  six  miles  the  first 
line  opened  in  Ireland,  for  its  construction  by  William  Dargan  dates 
as    far   back  as    1834,  though   the  extension   from  Kingstown  to  Bray 


DUBLIN  BAY  AND  KINGSTOWN  HARBOR. 


69 


was  not  completed  until  twenty  years  later.  The  line  follows  the  curve 
of  the  estuary,  passing  through  the  village  of  Blackrock  on  its  shore, 
and  a  ride  over  it  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  brought  us  to  Kingstown, 
from  the  elevated  ground  above  which  Mr.  Bartlett  has  presented  us 
with  a  comprehensive  view  of  Dublin  Bay.  The  scene,  depicted  from 
the  spot  from  whence  the  stones  used  in  the  construction  of  Kings- 
town pier  have  been  quarried,  is  exceedingly  beautiful.  Looking  across 
the  bay,  here  about  six  miles  in  breadth,  appears  the  Hill  of  Howth, 
with  the  Baily  Lighthouse  on  its  east,  and  on  its  west  the  flat  sandy 
isthmus  which  unites  it  to  the  mainland.  The  remainder  of  the  shore 
on  the  northern  side  is  low,  but  all  along  studded  with  groups  of 
white-walled  houses,  behind  which  the  land  swells  into  gentle  eminences, 
clothed  with  wood,  and  sprinkled  with  the  villas  of  the  gentry.  At  the 
extremity  of  a  long  straight  line  of  wall,  and  apparently  in  the  centre 
of  the  bay,  stands  the  South  Wall  Lighthouse,  already  mentioned  ; 
while  nearer  to  the  spectator  the  cheerful-looking  streets,  houses,  and 
gardens  of  Kingstown,  with  the  basin  of  the  magnificent  harbor,  circum- 
scribed  by  its  massive  piers,  lie  distinctly  mapped  out  beneath  his  feet. 

Kingstown,  which  is  properly  a  portion  of  Dublin  Harbor,  was  in 
the  early  part  of  the  century  a  poor  village  called  Dunleary,  consisting 
almost  entirely  of  fishermen's  cabins,  and  received  its  present  name  in 
182 1,  upon  the  embarkation  of  George  IV.,  at  the  close  of  his  mem- 
orable visit  to  Ireland,  to  commemorate  which  a  not  very  attractive 
column  has  been  erected  on  the  spot  where  he  last  stood  on  Irish 
ground.  It  was  however  four  years  before  that  date  that  the  first 
step  was  taken  to  raise  the  little  fishing  village  into  the  popular  port 
that  it  has  now  become.  The  first  stone  of  its  magnificent  artificial 
harbor  was  laid  in  181 7  by  Lord  Whitworth,  then  Lord-Lieutenant  ot 
Ireland,  and  the  work,  designed  by  the  late  John  Rennie,  C.  E.,  was 
subsequently  completed  at  a  cost  of  over  ,£800,000.  We  learn  from 
Marmion's  "History  of  the  Ports  of  Ireland,"  that  "the  eastern  pier 
which  runs  into  the  bay,  is  3500  feet  long,  and  at  the  base  200  feet 
in  breadth  :  it  terminates  nearly  perpendicularly  on  the  side  of  the 
harbor,  and  in  an  inclined  plane  towards  the  sea.  The  western  pier 
is  4950  feet  in  length,  having  an  entrance  of  850  feet,  the  whole 
forming  an    area  of   250  acres,  varying   in   depth  from    15  to  27  feet. 


70 


THE  SEABOARD  ENVIRONS  OF  DUBLIN, 


A  quay,  40  feet  wide,  runs  along  the  summit,  protected  by  a  parapet 
eight  feet  high.  Outside  there  is  a  beacon  to  mark  the  entrance  to 
the  harbor.  Close  to  the  pier-head  there  is  24  feet  of  water  at  the 
lowest  spring  tide,  which  will  admit  a  frigate,  or  a  merchantman  of  the 
largest  class,  to  enter  its  enclosure,  and  at  two  hours  tide  it  will  float 
a  first-class  ship  of  war.  On  the  east  pier  there  is  a  tower  exhibit- 
ing a  revolving  light,  seen  every  two  minutes."  A  fort  has  been 
erected  around  the  lighthouse  and  from  its  prominent  position  commands 
the  entire  bay,  and  though  small,  is  a  powerful  defence  should  an 
enemy  come  within  range.  On  this  pier  there  is  also  a  monument  to 
the  memory  of  Captain  Boyd  and  the  seamen  of  H.  M.  S.  "  Ajax," 
drowned  February  9,  1 861 ,  in  attempting  to  save  life  in  a  great  gale. 
A  broad  esplanade,  500  feet  in  length,  adjoining  deep  water,  is  called 
the  Victoria  Wharf,  from  its  having  been  used  by  the  Queen  upon  the 
occasion  of  her  second  visit  to  Ireland  in  1853.  The  importance  of 
Kingstown  Harbor  began  in  its  establishment  as  the  Irish  station  for 
the  Liverpool  and  Dublin  mail  packets,  and  it  subsequently  became, 
and  remains,  the  station  of  the  Dublin  and  Holyhead  mail  and  other 
large  steamers  exclusively  employed  in  passenger  traffic. 

But  in  addition  to  its  commercial  position,  Kingstown  has  become 
a  favorite  place  of  resort  not  only  for  persons  whose  pleasure  in  the 
ocean  is  satisfied  by  an  inspection  from  a  steady  standpoint,  but  also 
and  especially  for  those  who  find  health  and  recreation  upon  the  un- 
stable surface  of  the  briny  wave.  For  all  these  a  large  and  elegant 
town  has  sprung  up  within  the  past  half-century,  its  houses  rising  tier 
above  tier,  on  an  inclined  plane,  from  the  edge  of  the  water  to  a 
considerable  elevation ;  and  it  is  to  the  credit  of  the  commissioners  of 
the  port  that  they  will  not  permit  any  lofty  buildings  to  be  erected 
near  the  water's  edgfe  to  interfere  with  the  sea-views  of  the  residences 
upon  the  higher  ground.  Kingstown  also  possesses  several  large  hotels 
and  yacht  and  boating  club-houses,  and  is  annually  the  scene  of  a  grand 
regatta,  one  of  the  leading  aquatic  events  of  the  kingdom,  and  alternately 
conducted  by  the  Royal  St.  George's  and  the  Royal  Irish  Yacht  Clubs. 
Its  population,  according  to  the  census  of  1871,  was  22,000,  while  that 
of  the  police  district,   in  which  it  is  included,  amounted  to  30,000. 

From  Kingstown    we   proceeded   by  the    Bray  railway,  which  skirts 


VIEW  FROM  KILLIXEY  HILL. 


71 


the  coast,  to  Dalkey.  The  two  miles  of  line  first  constructed  between 
these  places  were  opened  in  1843  for  the  purpose  of  testing  the  atmos- 
pheric principle  of  propulsion,  which  however,  after  an  experiment  of 
over  ten  years,  was  abandoned  on  the  extension  of  the  road  to  Bray. 
Sir  John  Forbes,  who  traversed  the  road  in  1852,  before  its  adaptation 
to  steam  transit,  found  it  "remarkable  for  its  great  deviation  from  the 
level  line,  rising  no  less  than  one  foot  in  115  to  within  a  few  hundred 
yards  of  Dalkey,  and  from  thence  to  the  terminus  as  much  as  one  in 
57;"  and  he  adds  that  owing  to  the  great  declination  it  will  readily 
be  understood  that  the  trains  returned  to  Kingstown  without  any  aid 
from  steam  or  other  power  but  their  own  gravity. 

Arriving  at  the  Dalkey  station  our  first  impulse  was  to  ascend 
Killixev  Hill,  which  rose  immediately  on  our  right,  and  take  a 
bird's-eye  view  of  the  country  surrounding  it  and  the  sea-coast  at  its 
foot.  A  climb  of  about  a  mile  brought  us  to  its  summit,  nearly  500 
feet  above  the  sea  level.  The  Hill  of  Killinev,  raising  its  head  as  it 
does  immediately  behind  Kingstown,  and  to  the  south  of  the  entrance 
to  Dublin  Bay,  is  a  fitting  comrade  to  that  of  Howth  on  its  north, 
the  pair  seeming,  as  it  were,  to  stand  as  green-clad  sentinels  guarding 
the  gateway  to  the  Irish  Metropolis.  It  rises  boldly  from  the  sea, 
its  base  extending  along  the  shore  for  two  miles  further  south  towards 
Bray,  while  its  crown  is  broken  into  three  small  summits,  the  most 
northerly  surmounted  by  a  dismantled  signal  tower  used  as  a  telegraph 
station  before  the  electric  spark  was  entrusted  with  the  duties  of  a 
messenger,  and  the  loftiest  by  an  obelisk  raised  in  memory  of  the 
Duke  of  Dorset,  who  was  thrown  from  his  horse  while  hunting  in  the 
vicinity.  It  is  from  this  latter  eminence  that  our  view  is  taken,  but 
the  picture  presents  only  a  small  portion  of  the  scene  which  the 
position  commands.  Facing  the  east  and  glancing  to  the  left  or  to  the 
right,  the  spectator  obtains  a  noble  view  of  the  sea.  At  his  feet  lies 
the  silvery  shore  of  Killiney  Bay,  bending  its  graceful  crescent  line 
until  it  terminates  in  the  noble  promontory  of  Bray  Head  ;  southward, 
his  eye  rests  upon  the  quiet  intervening  vale,  with  the  mountains,  pile 
upon  pile,  above  it,  and  the  greater  and  lesser  Sugar-loaf  lifting  their 
blue  pinnacles  over  all.  When  he  has  satiated  his  eyes  with  this 
glorious  prospect,  he  has  but  to  turn  round,  and  a  scene  of  inexpressible 


72 


THE  SEABOARD  ENVIRONS  OF  DUBLIN. 


richness,  variety,  and  grandeur  meets  his  eye.  For  the  spot  is  more 
commanding  than  that  from  which  he  has  just  surveyed  Dublin  Bay — 
the  quarries  being  on  a  lower  level,  and  just  beneath  the  old  telegraph 
station  which  o'ertops  the  northern  peak.  Looking  over  Kingstown 
Harbor,  he  beholds,  to  use  the  language  of  an  enthusiastic  tourist, 
"the  most  splendid  bay  in  Europe,  spreading  for  miles  its  vast  and 
lake-like  level,  adorned  with  all  imaginable  objects  that  can  animate 
and  diversify ;  the  towns  and  shining  outlets,  the  piers,  docks,  batteries, 
and  beacons,  the  sails  of  every  form — the  darkening  curve  of  steam," 
while  he  is  within  hailing  distance  of  the  neighboring  Hill  of  Howth, 
but  can  only  discern  the  far  away  Armagh  and  Mourne  mountains  on 
a  very  clear  day. 

On  one  part  of  Killiney  Hill  is  a  martello  tower,  and  near  to  it, 
among  shady  trees,  some  Druidical  remains,  consisting  of  a  circle,  in 
the  centre  of  which  is  a  sacrificial  stone,  having  a  place  hewn  out  to 
receive  the  neck  of  a  human  being,  and  apart  from  it,  and  facing  in  a 
contrary  direction,  a  throne  or  judgment-seat.  These  consist  of  rough 
granite  blocks,  which,  however,  are  declared  to  bear  many  indications 
of  having  been  re-constructed  at  a  comparatively  late  date,  and  the 
whole  has  been  pronounced  an  archaeological  forgery,  founded  on  a 
veritable  early  arrangement.  In  the  neighborhood,  too,  are  a  cromlech 
and  a  landing  place,  whose  names  connect  them  with  the  ancient 
priesthood. 

Several  handsome  residences  have  been  in  late  years  erected  in 
Dalkey,  and  on  the  commanding  sites  in  its  immediate  vicinity,  and 
thus  have  given  to  it,  like  Kingstown,  the  appearance  of  a  modern 
village.  But  notwithstanding  this  it  is  a  place  that  claims  a  past 
history,  for  it  appears  to  have  been  of  some  importance,  as  early 
as  the  fourteenth  century,  when  it  was  an  incorporated  town,  with 
provost  and  bailies  ;  and  in  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries  it  "was 
a  port  much  used  by  the  Dublin  merchants,  who  found  it  safer  to 
have  their  goods  landed  there  than  allow  their  ships  to  venture  into 
the  bay,  and  attempt  the  passage  of  the  Liffey."  Here  are  the 
remains  of  three  small  castles,  said  to  have  been  part  of  seven,  built 
for  the  protection  of  the  early  traders  against  pirates,  who  at  one  time 
swarmed  in  the  channel ;   and  similar  remains  near   by   at  Monkstown 


THE  MOCK  KINGDOM  OF  DALKEY. 


73 


and  Bullock  betoken  the  neighborhood  to  have  been  one  of  importance 
in  by-gone  days. 

At  Dalkey,  a  tongue  of  land  called  Sorrento  Point  stretches  out  into 
the  sea,  a  short  distance  east  of  the  railway,  having  at  its  head  a 
terrace  of  fashionable  residences  ;  and,  separated  from  the  mainland  by  a 
sound  iooo  yards  long,  300  wide,  and  eight  fathoms  deep,  is  Dalkey 
Island,  a  conspicuous  object  from  KilJiney  Hill,  as  well  as  from  the  deck  of 
the  steamer  as  the  voyager  approaches  the  entrance  to  Dublin  Bay.  This 
island  is  some  25  acres  in  extent,  about  half  being  pasture,  and  contains 
a  ruined  church,  dedicated  to  St.  Benedict;  a  well,  considered  efficacious  in 
diseases  of  the  eye  ;  and  a  martello  tower  manned  by  a  few  artillerymen, 
the  only  inhabitants.  Tradition  says  that  when  Dublin  was  visited  by 
the  great  plague  of  1575,  the  corporation  and  some  of  the  principal 
citizens  retired  here  to  escape  the  contagion.  The  memory  of  this  event 
was  preserved  until  the  close  of  the  last  century,  by  the  island  annually 
becoming  the  scene  of  a  mock  celebration,  in  which  many  respectable 
citizens  engaged,  and  which  was  considered  of  sufficient  importance  to 
command  a  report  of  a  column  in  length  in  the  Dublin  daily  papers. 
But  the  kingdom  of  Dalkey  was  "  mediatized,"  and  the  rule  of  a  distinc- 
tive Irish  king  ceased  after  the  election  of  1797,  the  year  previous  to  the 
memorable  rebellion,  when  20,000  persons  took  part  in  the  proceedings. 
The  last  monarch  was,  in  private  life,  Stephen  Armytage,  an  eminent 
Dublin  bookseller,  whose  shop  was  the  resort  of  the  literati,  lawyers,  and 
legislators  of  the  Irish  metropolis,  and  his  mock  royal  title  was,  "  His 
Facetious  Majesty  Stephen  the  First,  King  of  Dalkey,  Emperor  of  the 
Muglins,  Prince  of  Lamb  Island,  Duke  of  Lambay,  Elector  of  Ireland's 
Eye,  Protector  of  the  Maiden  Rock,  Stadtholder  of  the  Hen  and  Chickens, 
Sovereign  of  the  Illustrious  Order  of  the  Lobster  and  Periwinkle,  Cham- 
pion  of  Cullamore,  Respecter  of  all  Men's  Faith,  and  Defender  of  his  own." 
There  was  no  disputing  King  Stephen's  authority.  He  only  held  his 
sovereignty  for  a  year,  resigning  it  when  the  grand  annual  festival  of 
electing  the  king  took  place,  usually  in  June.  The  dignity,  however, 
might  be  re-conferred,  and  it  was  a  source  of  natural  pride  to  King 
Stephen  that  he  was  always  re-elected.  This  showed  he  was  a  beneficent 
sovereign,  and  beloved  by  his  subjects.  He  had  his  courtiers,  like  other 
kings,  and  their  titles  were  suited  to  their  place  in  the  royal  household. 

II.-39 


74 


THE  SEABOARD  ENVIRONS  OF  DUBLIN. 


The  ministry  was  as  follows  :  The  Keeper  of  the  Royal  Cellar,  Lord  Tokay  ; 
Master  of  Bouquets  and  Groom  of  the  Buttonhole,  Lord  Posey  ;  Purveyor 
of  Royal  Sausages,  Lord  Bacon  ;  Guardian  of  the  Mountain  Dew,  Count 
Sheebeen  ;  Custodian  of  the  Loaves,  Lord  Barm  and  Batch  ;  Chief  of  the 
Meat  Stall,  Baron  de  Bceuf  ;  Master  of  Potatoes,  Count  Pomme  de  Terre. 

The  King,  having  been  duly  elected,  at  once  proceeded,  accompanied 
by  his  court,  to  the  ruins  of  the  old  church,  when  he  was  crowned  and 
anointed  with  whiskey,  and  the  Archbishop  of  Dalkey  preached  the 
coronation  sermon,  limited  to  five  minutes.  Then  the  Lord  Chancellor  of 
Dalkey  was  presented  with  a  pair  of  white  gloves,  for  he  had  no  causes 
on  his  list.  The  Lord  Keeper  was  entrusted  with  the  care  of  the  Round 
Tower,  with  power  to  confine  therein  any.  unruly  subject.  The  Poet 
Laureate  then  recited  his  coronation  ode — and  the  last  poet  laureate  was 
no  other  than  Thomas  Moore,  his  early  poetic  effusions  giving  promise  of 
his  subsequent  harvest  of  renown.  The  Lord  High  Admiral  commanded 
the  ferry-boats  in  which  the  King  and  his  lieges  crossed  Dalkey  Sound. 
The  court  then  proceeded  to  the  Rocking  Stone,  placed  at  the  south 
entrance  to  Dalkey  Island,  and  there  the  King  created  his  knights. 
Charles  Incledon,  the  celebrated  singer,  was  known  in  these  Dalkey  revels 
as  "  Sir  Charles  Melody ;"  Thomas  Moore  as  the  "  Knight  of  Castalia  ;" 
and  a  lady  who  wrote  some  clever  verses  was  the  "  Countess  of  Laurel." 
The  hospitable  Dublin  solicitor,  Tom  O'Meara,  was  one  of  the  office- 
holders, as  the  following  anecdote  shows  : 

When  the  Irish  government,  towards  the  end  of  the  last  century,  grew 
alarmed  at  the  spread  of  French  principles  in  Ireland,  and  conceiving  the 
fetes  at  Dalkey  were  coverts  for  hatching  treason,  they  resolved  to  inquire 
into  the  proceedings.  The  Lord  Chancellor,  Earl  of  Clare,  being  aware 
that  Mr.  O'Meara,  who  was  well  known  in  the  convivial  circles  of  Dublin, 
attended  these  re-unions,  sent  for  him,  and  the  following  dialogue  is 
related  to  have  taken  place  : 

Lord  Chancellor. — "  I  believe  you  hold  an  office  in  connection  with 
the  kingdom  of  Dalkey,  Mr.  O'Meara  ?  " 

Mr.  O'Meara.— "  Yes,  my  lord." 

Lord  Chancellor. — "  What  are  you  ?" 

Mr.  O'Meara. — "  I  am  Duke  of  Muglins  and  Commissioner  of  the 
Royal  Revenue." 


KILLINEY  BAY,  BALLYBRACK  AND  BRAY. 


75 


Lord  Chancellor. — "Have  you  any  perquisites  from  your  office?" 
Mr.   O'Meara. — "  I   am  allowed  to  import  ten   thousand  hogsheads, 
duty  free." 

Lord  Chancellor. — "Indeed!    Hogsheads  of  what  ?" 

Mr.  O'Meara. — "Salt  water,  my  lord." 

This  showed  the  privilege  was  not  very  revolutionary.* 

The  line  of  railway  after  leaving  Dalkey  is  carried  for  some  distance 
along  a  platform  constructed  upon  the  eastern  side  of  Killiney  Hill,  at  a 
vast  expense,  and  perched  almost  perpendicularly  over  the  sea  on  the 
margin  of  Killiney  Bay,  the  lovely  indentation  of  the  ocean  that  obtains 
its  name  from  the  adjoining  hill,  and  which  sweeps  "  in  one  unbroken 
curve  along  its  eastern  base,  and  thence  to  the  bold  headland  of  Bray." 
The  village  of  Killiney,  which  is  but  a  short  run  from  Dalkey,  possesses 
an  archaeological  relic,  in  the  shape  of  a  ruined  church.  Although 
roofless,  the  ruin  is  very  perfect,  and,  it  is  said,  dates  as  far  back  as 
the  foundation  of  Glendalough,  which  we  shall  describe  in  the  next 
chapter.  There  is  a  nave  twelve  and  a  half  feet  in  breadth,  and  a  chancel 
nine  and  a  half  feet;  and  openings  in  the  walls  commanding  the  sea- 
shore, which  have  been  evidently  intended  to  guard  against  surprise. 
Half  a  mile  further  on,  on  the  slope  of  the  third  of  the  Killiney  Peaks, 
is  the  pleasant  village  of  Ballybrack,  the  "  speckled  town,"  which  has 
become  a  favorite  resort,  from  its  southerly  aspect,  affording  it,  even  in 
winter,  a  mild  and  genial  climate,  while  its  outlook  towards  Bray  secures 
to  it  a  splendid  prospect.  A  little  beyond,  we  joined  the  direct  line  from 
Dublin  to  Bray,  and  a  few  minutes'  further  ride  brought  us  to  the  latter 
village,  situated  seven  and  a  half  miles  from  Kingstown,  and  thirteen  and 
a  half  from  Dublin,  by  the  road  we  had  traveled. 

The  town  of  Bray  f  is  most  charmingly  situated  just  within  the 
confines  of  Wicklow,  and  is  the  portal  through  which  the  traveler 
generally  passes  to  view  the  scenic  attractions  of  that  most  picturesque 

*  "The  Irish  Bar,"  by  J.  Roderick  O'Flanagan. 

t  Bray  is  a  place  of  great  antiquity.  According  to  Mr.  Dalton,  the  historian  of  the  county  of  Dublin,  St. 
Patrick  attempted  a  landing  here  in  432,  but  was  denied  admission  ;  it  afterward  became  the  seat  of  a  rural 
bishop,  but  in  1152  the  see  was  annexed  to  that  of  Dublin  by  Cardinal  Paparo.  In  1173  the  town  was  granted 
to  Walter  de  Riddlesford  by  Strongbow,  and  a  large  portion  subsequently  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  church, 
by  which  it  was  retained  till  the  dissolution  of  the  religious  houses,  when  the  part  south  of  the  river  became 
the  property  of  the  ancestors  of  the  Earls  of  Meath  and  Pembroke. 


76 


THE  SEABOARD  ENVIRONS  OF  DUBLIN. 


county.  The  beautiful  position  of  the  town,  its  prospect,  girt  on  one  side 
by  the  wide  expanse  of  ocean  and  fringed  on  the  other  with  the  lofty 
peaks  of  the  Wicklow  Mountains,  its  agreeable  climate,  and  the  readiness 
by  which  it  is  reached  by  two  short  lines  of  railway  from  Dublin,  have 
conduced,  within  but  a  very  few  years,  to  raise  it  from  the  position  of  an 
humble  village  to  that  of  a  fashionable  marine  watering  place.  And  this 
change  is  partly  to  be  credited  to  the  noble  public  spirit  of  William 
Dargan,  who,  we  repeat,  gave  to  Ireland  its  first  railway  and  its  first 
international  exhibition,  and  who  held  in  higher  esteem  the  gratification 
of  benefitting  his  native  country  than  the  honor  of  a  baronetcy,  proffered 
him  by  his  sovereign. 

Our  picture  represents  the  older  portion  of  Bray,  and  though  taken  as 
it  were  but  yesterday,  the  scene  has  varied  somewhat  since  the  artist 
sketched  it.  It  is  true  there  has  been  no  change  in  the  contour  of  the 
amphitheatre  of  hills,  at  the  foot  of  which  the  town  nestles.  Still,  too, 
stands,  on  a  commanding  eminence  in  the  woods  that  clothe  the  base  of 
the  Sugar  Loaf,  the  mansion,  now  styled  the  Loretto  Convent,  which,  not 
long  ago,  was  the  residence  of  the  Putland  family  previous  to  removal  to 
a  more  modern  home  close  by.  The  venerable  church,  lately  renovated, 
also  continues  to  occupy  its  place  in  the  quiet  church-yard  where  tranquilly 
repose  the  dead  of  days  long  past.  And  the  old  river  Bray,  which  separ- 
ates the  counties  of  Wicklow  and  Dublin,  still  pursues  its  lazy  course 
through  the  town  in  its  pathway  to  the  sea  ;  but  the  ancient  bridge  that 
spanned  it  has  gone,  and  its  place  is  now  supplied  by  a  more  modern 
and  capacious  structure. 

Between  the  sleepy  old  village  and  the  ocean,  some  half  a  mile  away  at 
the  spectator's  back,  however,  the  enchanter's  wand  has  been  at  work,  and 
shady  avenues,  broad  esplanades,  and  fine  terraces  lined  with  grand  hotels, 
handsome  houses,  and  innumerable  villas,  have  but  just  sprung  up  as  if  by 
magic,  and  have  already  shot  forth  for  over  a  mile  along  the  coast  in  the 
direction  of  the  rugged  and  frowning  Head.  A  quay  wall  and  promenade 
have  also  been  constructed  upon  the  northern  bank  of  the  river  from  the 
new  bridge,  along  by  the  railway  bridge  to  the  sea,  where  it  plants  the 
pedestrian  upon  the  beautiful  strand  that  borders  the  Bay  of  Killiney. 
The  population  of  Bray,  which  in  1851  was  but  3156,  had  advanced  to 
6077  in  1 871,  since  which  date  it  has  still  further  increased. 


KILR  UDDER  Y  HO  USE  AND  BRA  Y  HEAD. 


77 


A  jaunting  car,  with  a  loquacious  though  not  over-communicative  driver, 
took  us  to  Kilruddery  House,  the  elegant  Elizabethan  residence  of  the 
Earl  of  Meath,  situated  two  miles  to  the  south,  near  to  Bray  Head,  and 
at  the  foot  of  the  little  Sugar  Loaf,  along  the  side  of  which  the  grounds 
of  the  mansion  slope.  The  only  thing  specially  noticeable  within  the 
house  is  a  wainscotted  hall  with  carved  oak  ceiling  ;  but  from  the  highly 
cultivated  grounds  without,  the  eye  is  charmed  with  the  grand  produc- 
tions of  the  Great  Architect  of  Nature.  The  mansion  lies  secluded  in  a 
hollow  formed  by  the  Sugar  Loaf  rising  on  one  side  and  Bray  Head 
upon  the  other — the  former  we  shall  speak  of  in  our  visit  to  the  Wicklow 
Mountains,  the  latter  was  the  next  object  of  our  visit. 

Bray  Head,  at  its  loftiest  point  800  feet  high,  is  approached  by  a 
shady  but  winding  carriage  drive,  which  conducts  to  the  summit  of  the 
bare  and  breezy  headland.  Here,  what  a  glorious  scene — or  rather,  what 
a  series  of  glorious  scenes  can  be  observed  !  Eastward  is  the  glassy  and 
oft-times  turbulent  Irish  Sea,  which  on  an  extremely  clear  day  is  almost 
constituted  a  lake  by  the  appearance  in  the  distant  horizon  of  the  far-off 
Welsh  mountains  ;  westward  are  the  lofty  peaks  we  had  already  discerned 
at  Bray — War  Hill  and  the  Douce  in  the  distance,  and  near  to  us, 
the  greater  and  the  lesser  Sugar  Loaf,  with  a  •  lovely  valley  reposing 
at  their  feet ;  southward  is  observable  that  leafy  notch,  the  Glen  of  the 
Downs,  described  in  the  succeeding  chapter,  and  the  rocky  coast  to 
Wicklow  Head  ;  and  northward,  immediately  beneath  us,  lies  the  bright 
and  busy  town  of  Bray,  from  which  the  eye  is  carried  along  the  line  of 
the  shining  sands  of  Killiney  Bay  to  the  hill  of  that  name,  gemmed  with 
scores  of  pleasant  villas,  peeping  through  the  verdure  that  robes  its 
granite  sides. 

From  Bray  we  returned  to  Dublin  by  the  direct  or  inland  line  of 
railway,  which  for  twelve  miles  passes  through  the  picturesque  valleys  of 
Shanganagh  and  Dundrum,  to  the  Harcourt  Street  Station  ;  having,  in 
our  passage,  on  our  right  Killiney  Hill,  whose  western  slope  we  found  to 
be  like  its  eastern,  the  nestling  place  of  many  a  happy  household,  and  on 
our  left  the  Three  Rock  or  Dublin  Mountain,  around  whose  base  the 
iron  pathway  winds.  The  most  conspicuous  object  we  noticed  in  this 
short  ride  was  Mount  Anville,  now  a  convent,  but  formerly  the  seat  of 
the   late   William    Dargan,   with   its   extensive   and   tastefully   laid  out 


78 


THE  SEABOARD  ENVIRONS  OF  DUBLIN. 


grounds,  which  contain  one  of  the  largest  green-houses  in  the  kingdom, 
and  a  prospect  tower  from  the  summit  of  which  magnificent  views  are 
observable. 

As  the  railway  approaches  the  city  it  converges  toward  that  by  which 
we  had  left  it  for  Kingstown  ;  and  between  the  two  lines  in  the  outskirts 
of  the  metropolis  lies  Donnybrook,  whose  fair,  now  abolished,  was  perhaps 
the  greatest  workshop  for  the  production  of  broken  heads  in  any  part  of 
the  civilized  world.  Donnybrook  signifies  "  the  little  brook,"  and  refers 
to  the  mountain  stream,  the  Dodder,  on  whose  bank  the  suburb  stands. 
The  fair  lasted  for  eight  whole  days  of  the  month  of  August,  and  there 
can  be  no  denying  that  during  the  week  the  Donnybrook  sports  com- 
prised, to  quote  the  language  of  a  once  popular  ditty,  any  amount  of 

"  Crowding  and  jumbling, 
And  leaping  and  tumbling, 
And  kissing  and  stumbling. 
And  drinking  and  swearing, 
And  carving  and  tearing, 
And  coaxing  and  snaring, 
And  scrambling  and  winning, 
And  fighting  and  flinging, 
And  fiddling  and  singing." 


THE  GARDEN  OF  IRELAND. 


79 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  BEAUTIES  OF  WICKLOW. 

Character  of  the  Scenery  —  Dundrum — Three  Rock  Mountain  —  Kilgobbin — "The  Scalp" — 
Enniskerry — Sugar  Loaf  Mountain — Glen  of  the  Dargle — Poiverscourt  Castle,  Deerpark,  and 
Waterfall — Tinnahinch  —  Loughs'  Bray  —  Douce  Mountain — Lough  Toy  or  Luggelaw  — 
Druidical  Rocking  Stone — Lough  Dan — Roundwood — Mountains,  Glens,  and  Military  Road — 
Glendalough,  its  ruins,  loughs,  and  legends — Round  Tower — St.  Kevin  and  the  infatuated 
Kathleen — Glenmalure — Lugnaquilla — Rathdrum — Castle  Howard — Meeting  of  the  Waters — 
Vale  of  Avoca — Woods  of  Shillelagh — Shelton  Abbey — Arklow — Town  of  Wicklow — Rosanna 
House  and  the  Author  of  "  Psyche" — Devil's  Glen — Pass  of  Dunran — Glen  of  the  Downs 

THE  county  of  Wicklow  has  justly  been  termed  "The  Garden  of 
Ireland,"  and  certainly  nowhere  else  in  so  small  a  compass  is  to  be 
found  assembled  such  a  variety  of  natural  beauties,  heightened  and 
improved  by  the  hand  of  art.  There,  we  may  behold  lakes  of  Alpine 
character  ;  streams  that  wind  through  quiet  dells,  or  roll  their  sparkling 
waters  down  rugged  precipices  ;  deep  glens  and  sombre  ravines,  where 
the  dark  shadows  make  twilight  of  the  summer  noon  ;  mountains  whose 
bare  and  craggy  peaks  seem  to  pierce  the  clouds ;  romantic  woods  and 
picturesque  glades — with  fertile  fields  and  warm  and  pleasant  valleys, 
whose  quiet  pastoral  features  remind  us  of  the  pictures  of  the  golden  age. 
The  charms  of  this  terrestrial  paradise  have  been  lauded  by  poets  of 
every  grade — they  have  more  than  once  afforded  a  subject  for  the  grace- 
ful pen  of  Ireland's  greatest  lyrist.  "The  Meeting  of  the  Waters,"  one  of 
the  earliest  and  sweetest  of  the  "  Irish  Melodies,"  celebrates  a  delicious 
spot  in  the  Vale  of  Avoca,  and  the  tree  is  still  pointed  out  under  which, 
it  is  said,  he  composed  the  song — another  commemorates  a  romantic 
legend  of  Glendalough.  And  the  charms  of  these  scenes  are  considerably 
enhanced  by  their  proximity  to  the  Irish  capital,  the  nearest  point  of  the 
county  of  Wicklow  being  not  more  than  ten  miles  from  the  city — in  fact, 


80 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  WICK  LOW. 


Dublin  possesses  environs  of  a  grandeur  unapproachable  by  those  of  any 
other  metropolis ;  for  its  citizens  can,  within  an  hour  after  leaving  their 
own  doors,  find  themselves  by  the  side  of  gurgling  waters  and  surrounded 
by  mountain  peaks. 

The  Wicklow  railway  hugs  the  coast,  as  the  phrase  goes,  while  the . 
beauty  spots  of  the  county  are  mainly  inland,  so  it  is  not  readily 
available  for  the  purposes  of  the  tourist;  and  many  in  pursuit  of  the 
picturesque  consequently  make  Bray  their  headquarters,  whence  they  dash 
forth  into  various  districts  in  day's  excursions.  But  as  the  principal 
points  of  interest  in  Wicklow  can  be  readily  witnessed  in  three  long 
days,  by  the  employment  of  a  special  road  conveyance,  we  selected  that 
medium  of  locomotion,  and  found  that  we  not  only  economized  time  and 
money,  but  secured  an  independence  in  our  movements  which  we  could 
not  otherwise  have  obtained. 

Our  route  from  the  metropolis  carried  us  through  the  suburban  village 
of  Dundrum,  a  pleasant  hamlet  lying  upon  the  direct  line  of  railway  to 
Bray,  and  at  the  base  of  the  Dublin  Mountain,  along  which  both  road 
and  railway  curve.  The  peculiar  salubrity  of  its  climate  and  its  proximity 
to  Dublin,  whence  it  is  only  two  miles  distant,  have  in  late  years  attracted 
to  this  place  a  large  resident  population.  The  Three  Rock  or  Dublin 
Mountain,  around  whose  base  we  wound,  looms  over  the  southern  portion 
of  the  Irish  metropolis,  rising  to  a  height  of  1763  feet.  The  road 
here  leads  past  the  ruined  castle  of  Kilgobbin,  said  to  have  been 
erected  by  Ghoban  Saer,  and  to  have  had  marvellous  treasures  buried 
beneath  its  foundations. 

Just  upon  entering  the  county  of  Wicklow,  and  ere  reaching  Ennis- 
kerry,  the  traveler  beholds  before  him  the  immense  natural  cleft  in  the 
heart  of  the  mountain  called  "  The  Scalp,"  through  which  the  road  runs 
and,  viewed  at  a  little  distance,  presents  the  appearance  of  the  letter  V. 
The  sides  of  this  singular  defile  are  covered  with  huge  masses  of  dis- 
jointed granite,  conveying  to  the  mind  of  the  passenger  the  not  very 
agreeable  idea  that  they  are  momentarily  in  danger  of  toppling  down  on 
his  head.  This  narrow  pass,  evidently  the  result  of  some  sudden  shock 
of  nature,  separates  Shankhill  and  Rathmichael  Mountains,  the  summit  of 
the  former  rising  to  the  height  of  912  feet,  and  that  of  the  latter  to  1103 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.    The  vista  presented  to  the  eye  in  the 


ENNISKERRY  AND  THE  GREAT  SUGAR  LOAF. 


81 


passage  through  the  ravine  is  very  striking,  presenting  on  each  side 
the  stupendous  overhanging  rocks,  and  beyond,  and  visible  in  the 
distance,  the  towering  peak  of  the  Great  Sugar  Loaf.  With  that 
popular  tendency  of  the  peasantry  to  connect  the  wild  and  wonderful 
in  nature  with  superhuman  agency,  it  is  quite  natural  that  the  formation 
of  this  singular  chasm  has  been  attributed  to  His  Satanic  Majesty,  who, 
it  is  said,  upon  the  occasion  of  driving  a  flock  of  sheep  from  Wicklow 
to  Dublin,  here  found  his  progress  impeded  by  a  steep  and  rugged 
mountain  ;  after  all,  however,  but  an  insignificant  obstacle  to  him,  for 
he  kicked  through  the  opposing  granite,  and  made  a  smooth  and  level 
road  for  his  flock,  which  pathway  he  permitted  to  remain. 

After  passing  through  the  Scalp  the  road  gradually  slopes  downwards 
to  the  pretty  little  village  of  Exxiskerrv,  as  we  descended  the  hill 
visible  in  the  valley  beneath,  with  its  white  cottages  contrasting  cheer- 
fully with  the  bright  verdure  of  the  foliage  by  which  it  is  partially 
screened.  The  village  is  situated  amid  beauties,  in  the  production  of 
which  nature  and  art  would  appear  to  have  vied  for  the  supremacy. 
The  guide  book,  in  a  spasm  of  eulogy,  says  of  it  : — "  This  has  been 
called  the  '  Honeymoon  Village.'  Another  word  of  description  is  almost 
superfluous.  The  winds  of  heaven  visit  it  gently,  the  sun's  burning 
rays  are  shaded,  and  the  moonbeams  steal  in  fretted  silver  light  through 
the  spreading  branches."  It  stands  at  the  base  of  the  Great  Sugar  Loaf, 
which  can  be  easily  ascended  from  the  village,  and  commands  from 
its  summit  a  more  extended  and  magnificent  view  than  is  obtainable 
from  any  neighboring  eminence,  embracing  within  its  scope  the  far- 
away peaks  of  Wales.  And  we  may  here  remark,  that  we  cannot 
contemplate  the  present  name  given  to  this  and  the  adjoining  mountain 
without  a  feeling  of  humiliation  at  the  custom  that  has  prevailed 
during  the  present  century,  both  in  Ireland  and  in  America,  of  changing 
the  ancient  names  of  places,  often  highly  poetical,  and  always  strikingly 
descriptive,  into  something  singularly  commonplace  or  absurd.  For 
instance,  these  remarkable  hills,  crowned  with  conical  summits  of  white 
quartz  anciently  possessed,  according  to  Mr.  Monck  Mason,  an  Irish 
appellation  which  signified  "  The  Gilt  Spears,"  derived  from  their  retain- 
ing the  light  of  the  sun  after  the  rest  of  the  surrounding  landscape 
was  involved  in  darkness.    "  Their  present  names,"  justly  remarks  Kohl. 

II.— 40 


82 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  WICKLOW. 


"  cannot  have  been  borne  by  them  very  long,  for  it  is  only  during 
the  last  300  years  that  it  has  been  the  practice  to  make  sugar  into  the 
conical  loaves  in  which  we  now  see  it." 

When  the  tourist  arrives  in  Enniskerry  he  is  almost  as  puzzled  to 
know  how  to  proceed  as  was  the  ass  in  the  fable,  for  temptation  flanks 
him  on  either  side  ;  to  the  northeast  lies  the  romantic  glen  of  the 
Dargle,  while  in  the  opposite  direction  and  higher  up  the  river  of  that 
name  are  the  beautiful  demesnes  of  Powerscourt  and  Charleville.  We 
paid  our  first  attention  to  the  former,  the  gorge  through  which  the 
stream  tumbles  and  tosses  in   its  journey  to  the  sea  at  Bray. 

The  Dargle — for  such  is  the  name  given  par  excellence  to  the 
glen — is  a  deep  ravine  of  a  mile  in  length,  the  precipitous  sides  of 
which  are  clothed  with  luxuriant  oaks,*  through  whose  thick  foliage 
masses  of  rock  occasionally  protrude  their  rugged  forms  over  the  chasm 
beneath,  at  the  bottom  of  which  the  river  runs.  Entering  the  majestic 
woods  by  a  path  cut  through  them  and  overhanging  the  stream,  we 
obtain  at  every  opening  in  the  trees  views  of  unparalleled  beauty 
and  variety,  the  prevailing  features  of  which  partake  in  a  great  degree 
of  the  sublime.  The  opposite  side  of  the  glen  presents  one  mass  of 
thick  foliage  rising  precipitously  from  the  brink  of  the  river,  whose 
progress  is  heard,  but  whose  bed  is  sunk  so  far  below  the  surface  of 
the  woods  in  which  it  is  lost,  that  one  might  suppose,  without  any 
extraordinary  stretch  of  the  imagination,  it  was  a  river  in  some  inner 
world,  laid  open  by  a  Titanic  throe  that  had  cracked  asunder  the  rocky 
crust  of  this  shallow  earth — the  soil  and  the  deep-striking  roots  of  the 
trees  terminating  far  above  us,  and  looking  like  a  black  rim  on  the 
enclosing  precipices.  When  occasionally  a  gleam  through  the  overhanging 
woods  reveals  to  us  the  troubled  waters,  they  afford  no  silvery  relief  to 
the  solemn  grandeur  of  their  majestic  channel,  but,  taking  a  sombre  tinge 
from  the  shadow  of  the  impending  precipices,  boil  and  bubble  darkly 
over  their  rocky  bed. 

About  midway  down  the  glen,  a  huge  mass  of  rock,  projecting  at  a 
great  height  over  the  river,  has  received  the  name  of  "  The  Lover's 
Leap,"  and  has  legends  pertaining  to  it,  which  include  a  jilted  swain 

*  It  is  conjectured  that  the  Dargle  has  acquired  its  name  from  the  oaks  which  adorn  it — Dar-GUn, 
signifying  "Oak  Valley,"  being  easily  corrupted  into  DargU. 


THE  DARGLE  AND  ITS  LOVER'S  LEAP. 


S3 


and  a  faithless  but  remorseful  damsel  who  followed  the  example  of 
Sappho,  by  precipitating  herself  from  the  dizzy  precipice.  The  prospect 
from  this  spot  is  magnificent,  and  the  most  vivid  powers  of  imagina- 
tion must  fail  adequately  to  describe  the  scene  of  exquisite  beauty 
spread  before  the  view.  The  eye  comprehends  every  part  of  the  deep 
glen  below,  catching  at  intervals  the  river  breaking  over  fantastic 
fragments  of  rock  detached  from  the  cliffs  above.  To  the  left,  the 
glen  gradually  expands  into  an  open  champaign  country,  bounded  in 
the  distance  by  the  blue  expanse  of  the  sea  ;  to  the  right,  the  vales 
and  hills  of  Powerscourt,  richly  verdant  and  adorned  with  majestic 
timber,  and  hemmed  in  by  lofty  and  rugged  mountains,  form  an 
interesting  and  noble  landscape  ;  while,  conspicuous  in  the  scene,  is  a 
suspension  bridge  carrying  across  the  chasm  the  pipes  which  convey 
the  waters  of  the  river  Vartry  from  the  reservoir  at  Roundwood  to 
the  capital. 

Another  splendid  view  of  the  Dargle  is  obtained  from  a  small  patch 
of  green  sward  at  the  bottom  of  the  glen,  close  beside  a  broad  pool, 
in  which  the  waters  of  the  river,  dammed  in  by  a  ledge  of  rocks, 
sleep  in  unbroken  tranquillity.  Looking  up  the  current,  the  stream  is 
seen  tumbling  through  a  rocky  channel  from  the  dark  woods,  which, 
rising  to  a  vast  height  on  either  side,  exclude  every  other  object. 
Perched  on  the  shoulder  of  a  precipitous  cliff  are  visible  the  thatched 
roof  and  rustic  pillars  of  a  pretty  little  cottage  called  the  Moss  House, 
which  peeps  through  the  foliage  of  the  trees  that  grow  above  and 
beneath  it,  and  forms  a  singularly  pleasing  object  in  the  landscape.  This 
beautiful  spot  is  a  favorite  haunt  for  picnic  parties  from  Dublin  ;  in 
fact,  it  is  to  its  proximity  to  that  city  that  this  glen  mainly  owes  its 
popularity.  Here,  on  the  smooth  turf  which  spreads  its  inviting  carpet 
beside  the  clear  stream,  many  a  happy  group  may  be  seen  in  the 
pleasant  summer-time,  laughing,  dancing,  singing,  or  dining  al  fresco, 
with  that  perfect  contempt  of  care  or  ceremony  which  so  strikingly 
distinguishes  the  light-hearted  sons  and  daughters  of  Erin. 

On  the  northern  bank  of  the  Dargle,  the  property  of  Viscount 
Powerscourt,  is  a  roadway  constructed  in  1821,  by  the  peer  of  that 
day,  to  enable  George  IV.  to  view  the  beauties  of  the  glen  from  his 
carriage,  which,  however,  he  failed  to  do  through  want  of  time.  Visitors 


84  THE  BEAUTIES  OF  WICKLOW. 

are  now  only  permitted  to  pass  through  the  glen  on  foot,  and  usually 
enter  it  at  the  lower  end,  which  they  first  reach  in  their  approach  from 
Bray,  sending  their  conveyances  around  by  the  common  road  to  meet 
them  above.  A  drive  has  also  more  recently  been  cut  on  the  opposite 
side,  which  is  part  of  the  demesne  of  Charleville.  The  river  Dargle 
unites  at  St.  Valory,  some  little  distance  after  it  emerges  from  the  glen, 
with  the  Cookstown  or  Enniskerry  river,  whence  the  blended  waters  pass 
on  for  a  mile  or  two  to  the  sea,  under  the  name  of  the  river  Bray, 
and  through  what  is  locally  termed  the  Valley  of  Diamonds. 

After  retracing  our  steps  through  the  glen,  we  proceeded  to  visit 
Powerscourt  Castle,  passing  through  the  gate  on  the  hill  above  the 
village  of  Enniskerry.  The  beauty  and  -variety  of  the  scenery  this 
noble  seat  presents  can  scarcely  be  surpassed  ;  and  it  would  be 
impossible  for  the  pen  to  convey  an  adequate  idea  of  the  numerous 
points  from  which  prospects  of  unrivalled  magnificence  may  be  obtained. 
Perhaps  none  are  excelled  by  that  which  is  gained  shortly  after  entering 
the  grounds.  "  Here,"  says  an  observant  tourist,  "as  we  approach  the 
house,  the  first  break  of  scenery  towards  the  south  is  inconceivably 
grand,  soft,  and  various.  Mountains,  often  cultivated  high  towards  their 
summits,  and  sometimes  rudely  majestic  in  the  unaided  tints  of  nature, 
form  the  impressive  background  at  a  happy  distance.  The  undulating 
tracts  which  lie  between  that  range  of  mountains  and  the  lofty  ridge 
on  which  the  spectator  is  placed,  comprise  the  rich  woods  and  plan- 
tations on  the  demesne  of  Charleville."  And,  writes  another,  "  there 
are  few  mansions  in  Great  Britain  so  auspiciously  situated  ;  hill  and 
dale,  and  wood  and  water  are  so  skilfully  blended  or  divided,  and  the 
whole  is  so  completely  enclosed  by  mountains,  apparently  inaccessible 
to  mortal  feet,  as  to  realize  the  picture  of  the  Happy  Valley."  Amidst 
the  romantic  scene  the  upper  Dargle  pursues  its  devious  course,  gliding, 
rippling,  or  foaming  on  its  passage  to  the  sombre,  oak-clad  glen. 

The  noble  mansion  of  Powerscourt  is  seen  to  most  picturesque 
advantage  from  the  eminence  above  the  Dargle.  Surrounded  by  mag- 
nificent woods,  and  gleaming  with  its  fine  granite  facade  above  the  deep 
and  leafy  valley  which  it  dominates,  it  looks  like  the  proper  residence 
of  a  lord  of  the  soil.  There  is  something  very  Italian,  too,  or  rather, 
we  should  say,  something  like  the  compositions  of  the  Italian  masters, 


TIXXAHIXCH  AXD  POWERSCOURT. 


85 


in  the  scenery  of  this  valley.  Tinnahinch,  formerly  the  seat  of  Ireland's 
eloquent  patriot  Grattan,  forms  such  a  feature  in  the  picture  as  a  painter 
would  introduce.  The  house  and  grounds,  situated  in  a  sylvan  vale 
near  the  river,  were  presented  to  the  statesman  and  orator  by  the  Irish 
Parliament  ;  and  here,  it  is  said,  he  composed  and  continually  recited 
the  eloquent  speeches  that  have  immortalized  his  name. 

On  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river  is  Charleville,  the  handsome 
mansion  of  Viscount  Monck.  The  demesne,  which  participates  in  the 
attractive  features  displayed  in  the  romantic  scenery  of  Powerscourt,  is 
very  extensive  and  adorned  with  noble  forest-trees.  A  mile  and  a  half 
beyond  Charleville  is  the  entrance  to  Lord  Powerscourt's  deer  park, 
about  800  acres  in  extent,  the  greater  part  of  which  is  covered  with 
trees  and  connected  with  the  rest  of  his  demesne  by  a  strip  of  land 
running  along  the  left  bank  of  the  river. 

Proceeding  to  the  latter  spot,  we  paused  previous  to  descending  to 
the  entrance  to  mark  the  view  we  were  informed  by  Mr.  Frazer  awaited 
us,  and  which  we  will  depict  in  the  language  employed  by  that  writer 
in  his  work  : — "  On  the  north,  the  plantations  of  the  demesnes  of 
Powerscourt  and  Charleville  form  a  rich  foreground  to  the  mountains 
of  Glencullen  rising  over  them.  To  the  west,  Glencree,  one  of  the  best 
defined  of  Irish  glens,  with  its  cultivated  and  peopled  sides,  is  seen  in 
all  its  length  and  in  all  its  breadth,  together  with  its  river,  bearing  along 
the  overflowings  of  the  upper  and  lower  Loughs  Bray,"  as  well  as  the 
waters  of  the  numerous  temporary  rills  which  rush  down  the  huge, 
unbroken  sides  of   Kippure,  and   of  the   other   mountains    forming  the 

*  The  two  Loughs  Bray  are  situated  under  the  crest  of  Kippure,  in  a  lonely  and  mountainous  district  in 
the  northwestern  corner  of  the  county,  where,  as  we  have  stated  in  a  previous  chapter,  the  Liffey  takes  its 
rise.  The  lower  lough,  the  larger  and  more  remarkable,  is  1225  feet  above  the  sea,  22S  feet  below  the  upper 
lough,  and  1450  feet  below  the  summit  of  Kippure.  from  one  side  of  which  protrudes  a  huge  crag,  dark  and  bare, 
called  the  Eagle's  Nest.  This  lough  is  64  acres  in  extent,  and  is,  says  Hall,  "walled  in  on  three  sides  by 
lofty  and  precipitous  hills,  and  open  on  the  fourth,  at  the  lowest  point  of  which  its  waters  are  poured  through 
a  narrow  opening  into  the  valley  of  Glencree,  forming  the  Glencree  river,"  which  stream  flows  into  the  river 
Dargle  a  short  distance  below  the  Powerscourt  waterfall.  "The  waters  of  Lough  Bray,"  remarks  the  same 
writer,  "are  colored  very  deeply  by  the  peat  which  covers  the  surrounding  hills,  through  which  the  water 
permeates  ;  and  the  deep  and  gloomy  tint  is  increased  by  the  shadow  into  which  the  lake  is  thrown  by  the 
overhanging  mountain  to  the  south  and  west."  Amid  all  this  rough  setting  appears  one  little  gem,  in  the  shape 
af  a  pretty  cottage  with  its  surrounding  grounds,  presented  to  Sir  Philip  Crampton,  the  late  Surgeon-General, 
by  the  Duke  of  Northumberland,  in  token  of  his  esteem  and  the  benefits  he  had  derived  from  his  professional 
services. 


86 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  WICKLOW. 


southern  boundaries  of  the  glen.  Looking  southward,  we  have  the 
commencement  of  the  valley  of  the  Dargle,  remarkable  for  its  well- 
defined  and  circular  outline,  also  as  forming  part  of  the  united  and 
lofty  mountains  of  Douce  and  War  Hill,  which  sweep  far  around  it. 
There,  the  infant  Dargle,  having  gathered  the  tiny  tributes  of  the 
hundred  rills  which  plough  the  sides  of  the  gigantic  Douce,  and  having 
borne  them  over  the  rocky  ledges  which  form  the  natural  barriers  to 
this  magnificent  glen,  flows  joyfully  through  it  to  meet  the  limpid 
waters  of  Glencree ;  and  at  the  foot  of  the  slope  on  which  we  stand 
these  glens  with  their  rivers  unite.  The  Dargle  with  increased  volume 
flows  on  through  the  romantic  ravine  which  bears  its  name  to  the  meet- 
ing of  the  streams  and  glens  at  St.  Valory,  separating  and  beautifying  as 
it  proceeds  the  demesnes  of  Powerscourt  and  Charleville." 

The  deer  park  of  Powerscourt  is  rich  in  natural  beauties.  Alter 
passing  through  its  portal  we  drove  beneath  the  shade  of  aged  oaks 
for  a  mile  to  its  principal  attraction,  the  Powerscourt  Waterfall, 
romantically  situated  at  the  extremity  of  a  beautiful  semicircular  amphi- 
theatre, formed  by  mountains  wooded  to  their  summits,  and  tumbling 
over  an  almost  perpendicular  wall  of  ferruginous  basalt  300  feet  in 
height.  This  picturesque  cascade  is  supplied  from  a  very  inconsiderable 
stream,  and  when  unaugmented  by  heavy  rains  the  volume  of  descending 
water  is  so  very  small  that  the  face  of  the  rock  is  seen  through  the 
thin  veil  of  its  delicate  transparency.*  But  in  winter,  or  when  the 
channels  of  the  mountain  have  been  charged  by  recent  rains,  the 
tumultuous  fury  with  which  the  thundering  cataract  dashes  at  one  wild 
bound  down  the  frightful  depth  of  its  descent  fills  the  beholder's  mind 
with  wonder,  and  makes  him 

•'  feel 

A  nameless  grandeur  swell  the  soul, 
With  joy  that  makes  the  senses  reel, 
Half-wishing  in  the  flood  to  roll." 

The  profound  seclusion  of  the  spot  inspires  that  peculiar  awe  with  which 
the    scene    never    fails    to    impress    the   spectator   when    beheld  under 

*  It  is  said,  that  to  guard  against  a  deficiency  of  water  upon  the  occasion  of  the  visit  of  George  IV.  to 
Powerscourt,  a  tank  was  dog  on  the  brow  of  the  hill  to  collect  a  sufficient  supply  to  insure  a  good  flow  ;  but  the 
precaution  was  as  useless  as  the  construction  of  the  road  through  the  Dargle,  for  His  Majesty  did  not  visit  the  spot. 


DOUCE  MO  UX  TAIN  AND  LUGGELAW. 


>7 


favorable  circumstances  ;  while  the  dark  masses  of  the  contiguous  woods, 
rising  in  sylvan  beauty  to  the  tops  of  the  mountains,  afford  a  delightful 
contrast  to  the  white  foam  of  the  cataract  and  the  dancing-  waters  of 

o 

the  stream,  sparkling  in  the  gleams  of  rich  sunlight  that  break  through 
the  branches  of  the  overarching  trees. 

Douce  Mountain  peers  over  the  deer  park,  and  is  not  difficult  of 
ascent  ;  but  we  were  unable  to  afford  the  time  required  to  plant  our 
footsteps  upon  its  summit,  which  attains  the  height  of  2384  feet,  and 
from  its  superior  elevation  commands  extensive  views  on  every  side. 
"  To  the  south  and  west,"  says  Frazer,  all  the  high  summits  of 
YVicklow  are  seen  ;  to  the  east,  a  great  part  of  the  Wicklow  coast  and 
all  the  more  elevated  parts  of  the  intermediate  country  ;  and  on  the 
north,  the  varied  coast  and  country  behind  Dublin,  with  all  the  more 
prominent  intervening  features." 

After  satiating  our  vision  with  the  many  beauties  presented  to  it  in 
the  sweet  valley  of  the  Dargle,  we  shaped  our  course  to  Roundwood, 
a  little  more  than  ten  miles  to  the  south  of  Enniskerry,  over  a  rugged 
country,  which  was  quite  a  contrast  to  the  natural  wealth  we  had 
witnessed.  Our  road  lay  between  the  Sugar  Loaf  and  Douce  moun- 
tains, and  carried  us  up  a  long  and  steep  ascent  to  an  elevation  of 
900  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  when  we  gained  the  high  table- 
land, in  the  centre  of  which  Roundwood  is  situated.  However,  when 
within  two  or  three  miles  of  the  latter  place,  we  made  a  detour  for 
about  the  same  distance  to  the  right,  for  the  purpose  of  visiting  Lough 
Tay,  or,  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  Luggelaw,*  on  the  shore  of  which 
stands  a  small  but  handsome  mansion,  known  by  the  latter  name, 
formerly  occupied  by  the  Latouches  of  Delgany,  but  now  used  as  a 
shooting-lodge  by  Viscount  Powerscourt.  The  lough — encompassed  on  all 
sides  by  mountains,  some  of  them  of  the  wildest,  and  others  of  the  richest 
and  most  pleasing  character,  and  over  800  feet  above  the  sea — is  circular 
in  form  and  about  half  a  mile  in  diameter,  or  a  mile  and  a  half  in 
circumference,  with  steep  sides  rising  to  a  considerable  height  above  the 

*  It  has  been  conjectured  that  the  true  name  Ls  Lough  Hela,  or  "The  Lake  of  Death,"  derived  from  the 
Hela  (death)  of  the  Danish  mythology.  The  title  must  have  been  peculiarly  appropriate  to  this  dark  lake  before 
the  hand  of  cultivation  had  softened  the  wild  horrors  of  the  valley  ;  and  it  is  not  improbable  that  it  was 
bestowed  upon  it  by  the  Danes  while  they  possessed  this  part  of  the  island,  and  handed  down  from  them, 
though  the  derivation  is  lost  in  the  corrupted  name  by  which  it  is  now  known. 


88 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  WICK  LOW. 


surface  of  its  deep  and  dark  waters.  In  the  outline  of  one  of  the 
precipitous  rocks  is  distinctly  traced  a  gigantic  resemblance  of  a  human 
face  looking  gloomily  on  the  lake  below.  The  eyebrows,  broad  and 
dilating,  are  marked  by  moss  and  heath,  and  the  prominent  cheeks  and 
deep-sunk  eyes  perfectly  formed  by  the  clefts  in  the  rock.  The  mouth 
appears  open,  but  when  you  retire  to  some  distance  it  looks  closed, 
though  without  producing  any  alteration  in  the  features. 

Embosomed  in  a  deep  valley,  which  runs  into  the  mountains  at  one 
end  of  the  lake,  stands  the  mansion  of  Luggelaw,  surrounded  by  rich 
meadows  and  luxuriant  plantations.  High  up,  the  valley  closes  with  a 
vast  amphitheatre  of  rocks,  down  which  pours  a  small  but  pretty  waterfall, 
forming  at  its  foot  a  little  stream,  which,  winding  through  the  meadows, 
mingles  with  the  still  waters  of  the  lake.  Such  is  the  picturesque  spot 
which  art,  improving  upon  natural  advantages,  has  formed  in  the  midst 
of  a  wild  country.  We  can  imagine  no  more  pleasurable  surprise  than  a 
stranger  would  experience  on  being  led  to  this  sequestered  nook  without 
any  previous  preparation  for  a  scene  of  such  Arcadian  beauty.  "  On  the 
eastern  side  of  the  valley,"  says  Wright,  "was,  formerly,  one  of  those 
extraordinary  druidical  remains  called  a  '  rocking  stone,'  used  by  the 
artful  arch-druid  for  oracular  purposes.  A  large  stone  was  placed  upon 
the  top  of  another,  so  balanced  that  the  smallest  effort  would  shake  it, 
and  was  supposed  to  be  self-moved  in  the  presence  of  a  guilty  person. 
In  some  cases,  as  on  the  Three  Rock  Mountain  in  the  county  of 
Dublin,  the  culprit  was  placed  under  the  stone,  which  was  made  to 
vibrate  over  his  head  and  threaten  death  at  every  instant.  In  the  year 
1800,  a  party  of  military  passing  this  mountain  dislodged  the  rocking 
stone  from  its  pedestal,  and  it  now  lies  some  yards  from  its  original 
position,  deprived,  unfortunately,  of  its  powers  of  motion." 

It  would  be  strange  if  the  wild  charms  of  Luggelaw  had  remained 
uncelebrated  in  the  minstrelsy  of  Ireland.  The  bards  of  former  days 
have  devoted  to  it  more  than  one  sweet  wreath  of  song ;  and  Erin's 
modern  and  immortal  bard  has  commemorated  its  beauties  by  the 
adaptation  of  probably  the  choicest  of  his  poetic  strains  in  the  "  Irish 
Melodies,"  beginning  "  No,  not  more  welcome  the  fairy  numbers,"  to 
the  delicious  old  air  of  "  Luggelaw."  Tradition  says  that  it  was  here 
that  St.   Kevin  originally  intended  to  found  the  religious  establishment 


LOUGHS  TAY  AND  DAN. 


89 


which  he  afterwards  erected  at  Glendalough,  and  that  he  had  actually 
commenced  his  Round  Tower  when  Kathleen  discovered  his  retreat, 
and  the  appearance  of  her  fair  face  drove  him    from  the  spot. 

Lough  Tay  is  fed  by  a  stream  called  the  Annamoe,  which  takes  its 
rise  on  War  Hill,  to  the  north,  and  is  joined  by  many  mountain  rills 
ere  it  leaps  down  the  cataract  at  the  head  of  the  lough  into  a  deep 
circular  dell.  This  dell  forms  the  head  of  a  beautiful  vale  which 
stretches  for  ten  miles  southward  to  Laragh,  and  presents  a  magnifi- 
cent picture  when  witnessed  from  the  high  ground  above  Lough  Tay, 
before  descending  to  it  from  Roundwood.  Two  miles  below  that  lough, 
and  connected  with  it  by  the  Annamoe  in  its  progress  southward,  is 
Lough  Dan,  685  feet  above  the  sea,  and  in  its  outline  resembling  a  broad 
river,  being  about  a  mile  and  three  quarters  in  length,  and  but  half 
a  mile  in  width.  It,  also,  is  embosomed  among  mountains,  those  of 
Knocknacloghole  and  Scar  rising  on  its  west,  and  that  of  Slieve-Buck 
on  its  east.  "  Environed  by  naked  pastoral  acclivities,  which  rise 
gradually  from  the  water's  edge,  Lough  Dan,"  remarks  Frazer,  "  wants 
much  of  that  wildness  aud  sternness  which  the  precipitous  cliffs  give 
to  Lough  Tay  on  the  one  hand,  as  well  as  of  that  beauty  which  the 
plantations  connected  with  Luggelaw  Cottage  impart  to  it  on  the 
other.-  It  is,  however,  from  its  winding  outline,  depth  of  water,  and 
the  extent  of  mountains  which  spring  from  its  surface  and  sweep  fat 
around,  a  scene  possessing  much  interest,  and  particularly  at  the  upper 
end,  where  it  receives  the  infant  waters  of  the  Avonmore.  There  the 
limpid  rivulet,  having  finished  its  first  and  short  course  through  the 
romantic  little  glen  which  separates  the  mountains  of  Scar  and  Knockna- 
cloghole, mingles  its  waters  with  the  Annamoe  River,  and  gives  name 
to  the  more  ample  stream — the  carrier  of  many  tributaries — which  glides 
down  the  vale  of  Clara  to  the  first  meeting  of  the  waters  at  Avoca." 

Loughs  Tay  and  Dan  are  among  the  largest  of  the  mountain  loughs 
of  Wicklow,  which  are  but  few  in  number  and  limited  in  their  dimen- 
sions, their  entire  superficies  being  not  more  than  800  acres.  Of  the 
others,  the  two  loughs  at  Glendalough  will  be  spoken  of  shortly,  the 
two  tiny  Loughs  Bray  have  been  already  mentioned,  and  the  list  is 
completed  by  the  equally  diminutive  Loughs  Nahanagan  and  Ouler, 
which  are  found  in  the    district  north  of   Glendalough.      But  the  four 

II. — 41 


90 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  WICKLOW. 


latter  are  mere  specks,  mere  tarns,  occupying  "  deep  and  secluded 
dells  in  the  wildest  and  loneliest  mountain  recesses,  and  where  the 
high  and,  in  many  cases,  impending  cliffs  which  surround  them  not 
only  throw  a  dark  shade  over  the  narrow  space  of  water,  but  impose 
a  deep  solitude  on  all  around." 

The  village  of  Roundwood,  originally  named  Togha,  is  an  agreeable 
halting  place  for  the  weary  wanderer  in  Wicklow,  for  he  can  here 
obtain  balmy  sleep,  combined  with  a  midsummer  night's  dream,  in 
which  rugged  hills,  and  lovely  vales,  and  mouldering  ruins  will  be  apt 
to  figure ;  or,  if  the  tired  mortal  is  a  disciple  of  Izaac  Walton  (for 
Roundwood  is  a  great  rendezvous  for  such  like)  it  is  perhaps  a 
sportive  but  treacherous  trout  that  will  afford  a  theme  for  his  sleeping 
visions.  Two  miles  from  this  place  is  the  main  reservoir,  in  which  the 
waters  of  the  Vartry  are  collected  and  stored  previous  to  their  being 
despatched  through  pipes  for  distribution  among  the  denizens  of  the 
city  of  Dublin,  twenty-four  miles  away.  It  covers  an  area  of  over 
400  acres,  and  presents  the  appearance  of  a  considerable  mountain 
lake.  Its  depth  is  70  feet,  and  its  capacity  is  estimated  to  be 
ample  to  supply  the  city  and  its  suburbs  for  200  days  at  a  daily  rate 
of  12,000,000  gallons  of  water,  which  here  attains  a  level  of  700  feet, 
and  is  carried  hence,  in  its  way  to  the  metropolis,  through  a  tunnel 
two  and  a  half  miles  long.  The  entire  work  cost  about  half  a  million 
pounds  sterling,  the  principal  feature  being  an  embankment  1600  feet 
long,  400  wide  at  the  base,  and  30  at  the  top. 

The  work  of  inspection  on  our  second  day  in  Wicklow  commenced 
by  a  drive  from  the  pleasant  hamlet  of  Roundwood  to  the  gloomy 
vale  of  Glendalough,  and  its  equally  sombre  ecclesiastical  remains.  The 
road  between  these  places  is  seven  miles  in  extent,  and  took  us,  at 
two  miles  south  of  Roundwood,  past  the  southern  end  of  Lough  Dan, 
and  in  the  next  three  miles  to  Laragh,  by  way  of  the  valley  of 
the  Avonmore  and  through  the  village  of  Annamoe.  Near  to  the 
latter  place  are  still  to  be  found  the  ruins  of  a  mill,  into  whose  race 
young  Lawrence  Sterne,  while  staying  with  his  father  at  the  adjoining 
parsonage,  fell  while  the  wheel  was  in  motion,  but  fortunately  was 
rescued  from  it  unhurt.  Where,  dear  reader,  but  for  the  helping  hand 
extended  to  the  drowning  boy  would  have  been  the  inimitable  Tristram 


LARAGH  AND  ITS  SURROUNDINGS. 


91 


Shandy,  with  the  Poor  Lieutenant,  and  Corporal  Trim,  and  the  loves 
of  Uncle  Toby  and  the  Widow  Wadman  ?  Near  Annamoe,  too,  is 
Glendalough  Park,  which  stretches  along  the  bank  of  the  river,  and 
from  its  extent  is  a  striking  feature  in  the  landscape  ;  while  on  the 
left  lies  Castle  Kevin,  once  the  abode  of  the  O'Tooles,  the  chieftains 
who  held  the  wilds  of  Wicklow,  and  kept  the  adjoining  districts  in  an 
almost  perpetual  state  of  turmoil  until  the  time  of  Elizabeth. 

Nature  and  the  pathfinders  have  bestowed  upon  the  little  village  of 
Laragh  the  position  of  a  geographical  centre,  for  here  several  roads 
and  glens  converge,  and  several  streams  conjoin  their  waters  which, 
united,  flow  placidly  through  dell,  or  slide  hurriedly  down  cascade  in 
their  progress  to  the  ocean.  The  glens  are  Glendalough,  comprising 
its  two  loughs  and  seven  churches  ;  Glendassan,  in  which  are  Lough 
Nahanagan  and  the  lead  mines  of  Luggunure  ;  Glenmacanass,  through 
which  the  military  road  to  Dublin  is  carried  ;  and  Glenavon,  embracing 
Loughs  Tay  and  Dan,  and  through  which  we  approached  the  village — 
all  these,  and  the  streams  which  flow  through  them,  forming  as  it 
were  upper  branches  to  the  vale  of  Clara  and  the  river  Avonmore, 
which  trend  to  the  southeast.  The  military  road  to  Dublin,  uniting  at 
Laragh  with  that  from  Roundwood,  was  constructed  after  the  Rebellion 
of  1798,  to  render  the  fastnesses  of  the  Wicklow  mountains  accessible 
to  large  bodies  of  military  and  police.  It  commences  among  the 
hills  some  twenty  miles  south  of  Laragh,  whence  it  runs  northward, 
considerably  to  the  west  of  the  road  through  Roundwood,  and  approaches 
Dublin  by  way  of  Loughs  Bray,  keeping  throughout  the  distance  a 
solitary  mountain  course,  rising  as  high  as  1600  feet  above  the  sea, 
and  penetrating  a  district  so  thinly  peopled  that  it  has  received  the 
name  of  the  "uninhabited  country." 

From  Laragh  we  turned  our  steps  westward  to  Glendalough,  or  the 
"Valley  of  the  Two  Lakes" — a  spot  which,  if  it  offer  fewer  natural 
beauties  to  the  observer  of  nature  than  other  portions  of  the  county  of 
Wicklow,  is  possessed  of  more  than  common  interest  to  the  lover  of  Irish 
antiquities.  This  valley  is  about  three  miles  in  extent,  and  open  at  the 
eastern  extremity,  but  enclosed  on  every  other  side  by  lofty  and  precip- 
itous mountains.  After  proceeding  for  nearly  a  mile  and  a  half  we  obtain 
the   first   view    of  the    once    celebrated    Glendalough,    the    site    of  the 


92 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  WICKLOW. 


mountain  city,  near  the  entrance  to  Glendassan  and  the  confluence  of 
the  streams  which  water  the  two  vales — that  Glendalough  where  religion 
and  literature  flourished  in  former  times,  but  which  now  presents  to  the 
curious  traveler  nought  save  a  melancholy  waste,  whose  sombre  character 
is  deepened  by  the  mouldering  relics  of  past  greatness  that  lie  scattered 
through  the  glen. 

The  principal  ruins  form  an  exceedingly  picturesque  group,  and  are 
situated  near  to  the  eastern  margin  of  the  Lower  Lough.  "  There  is 
nothing  in  these  buildings  particularly  interesting,"  says  Mr.  Otway,  in  his 
entertaining  Sketches,  "  except  their  extraordinary  position  in  the  midst 
of  the  lonely  mountains,  placed  at  the  entrance  of  a  glen,  singularly  deep 
and  secluded,  with  its  two  dark  lakes  lying  in  gloom  and  solitariness,  and 
over  which  deep  vale  hang  mountains  of  the  most  abrupt  forms,  in 
whose  every  fissure  and  gorge  there  is  a  wild  and  romantic  clothing  of 
oak,  birch,  and  holly."  It  is  indeed,  a  region  where  the  solitary  enthusiast 
might  conjure  up  visions  of  things  that  mortal  eye  had  ne'er  beheld ;  a 
dim  valley  over  which  the  Angel  of  Death  seems  to  have  spread  the 
shadow  of  his  dark  wings  ;  a  tomb  where  every  human  passion  is  buried, 
and  within  whose  gloomy  precincts  the  sombre  goddess  of  Melancholy 
walks,  in  lonely  meditation  wrapt.  To  this  dreary  solitude  did  St. 
Coemgan,  or  Kevin,*  retire  in  the  sixth  century,  after  he  had  assumed  the 
cowl.  Here  he  wrote  many  learned  works,  and  founded  the  Abbey  of 
Glendalough,  over  which  he   presided  as  abbot  and   bishop  f  for  many 

*The  beauty  of  the  saint,  when  a  babe,  was  so  remarkable,  that  it  is  said  an  angel  descended  from  heaven, 
and,  having  kissed  him,  bestowed  upon  him  the  name  of  Coemgan  or  Kevin,  which  in  the  Irish  language 

signifies  "pretty  boy." 

\  The  see  of  Glendalough  was  resigned  by  St.  Kevin  its  founder  in  612  ;  and  in  1192  King  John  ordered  it 
to  be  united  to  Dublin  on  its  next  avoidance,  which  took  place  in  12 14.  King  John's  mandate,  however,  was 
disputed  by  the  OTooles,  in  whose  territory  Glendalough  stood  ;  and,  although  their  lands  were  estranged,  they 
continued  to  fill  the  see  for  a  long  period  afterwards — the  last  of  the  nominal  prelates,  Friar  Dennis  White, 
surrendering  the  possession  in  1497.  A  curious  legend  tells  how  St.  Kevin  obtained  from  the  local  monarch  of 
his  day  a  grant  of  the  land  upon  which  he  built  his  churches.  We  give  it  in  the  language  of  the  loquacious 
guide.  ' '  The  king  was  ould  and  wake  in  himself,  and  took  a  mighty  liking  to  a  goose,  a  live  goose  ;  and  in  coorse 
o'  time  the  goose  was  like  his  master,  ould  and  wake.  So  O'Toole  sent  for  his  holiness  ;  and  his  holiness  went  to 
see  what  would  the  Pagan — for  King  O'Toole  was  a  hathen — want  wid  him.  '  God  save  ye,'  says  the  saint.  '  God 
save  ye  kindly,'  says  the  king.  '  A  better  answer  than  I  expected,'  says  the  saint.  '  Will  ye  make  my  goose  young?' 
says  the  king.  '  What'll  ye  gi'  me  ?  '  says  the  saint.  '  What'll  ye  ax  ?  '  says  the  king.  '  All  I'll  ax  will  be  as  much 
of  the  valley  as  he'll  fly  over,'  says  the  saint.  '  Done,'  says  the  king.  So  wid  that,  Saint  Kevin  stoops  down,  takes 
up  the  goose,  and  flings  him  up,  and  away  he  goes  over  the  lake  and  all  around  the  glin  ;  which,  in  coorse,  was  the 
saint's  hereditary  property  from  that  day  out." 


ANCIENT  CITY  OF  GLENDAIO  UGH. 


years,  and  was  "born  to  the  blessings  of  another  state"  on  the  3rd 
of  June,  618,  at  the  great  age  of  120  years.  His  extraordinary  piety 
and  virtue,  no  less  than  the  numerous  miracles  wrought  by  him,  drew, 
as  the  Monasticon  Hibernicum  informs  us,  "  multitudes  from  towns  and 
cities,  from  ease  and  affluence,  from  the  cares  and  avocations  of  civil 
life,  and  from  the  comforts  and  joys  of  society,  to  be  spectators  of 
his  pious  acts  and  sharers  in  his  merits,  and  with  him  to  encounter 
every  severity  of  climate  and  condition.  This  influence  extended  even 
to  Britain,  and  induced  St.  Mochuorog  to  convey  himself  hither  ;  who 
fixed  his  residence  in  a  cell  on  the  east  side  of  Glendalough,  where 
a  city  soon  sprang  up,  and  a  seminary  was  founded,  from  whence  were 
sent  forth  many  saints  and  exemplary  men,  whose  sanctity  and  learning 
diffused  around  the  western  world  that  universal  light  of  letters  and 
religion  which,  in  the  earlier  ages,  shone  so  resplendent  throughout  this 
remote,  and  at  that  time  tranquil  isle,  and  were  almost  exclusively 
confined  to  it." 

Six  centuries  later,  however,  the  glory  of  the  city  had.  entirely 
departed,  for  in  the  twelfth  century  it  is  described  as  having  then  lain 
waste  for  forty  years  ;  and  the  glen  soon  became,  if  we  are  to  believe 
Ware,  "  waste  and  desolate,  a  den  and  nest  for  thieves  and  robbers ;" 
and  more  murders  were  committed  in  it  than  in  any  other  part  of 
Ireland.  Glendalough  was  in  its  time  the  depository  of  the  wealth  of  the 
neighboring  septs,  and  consequently  was  frequently  plundered  by  the 
Danes,  as  well  as  by  the  English,  after  whose  invasion  it  rapidly  declined. 
In  1309  the  sept  of  the  O'Byrnes  was  defeated  here  by  Piers  Gaveston, 
who  rebuilt  the  Castle  of  Kevin,  and  opened  the  pass  between  it  and 
Glendalough.  In  1580,  one  of  the  Fitzgeralds,  uniting  with  Lord  Balt- 
inglass  and  a  chieftain  of  the  O'Byrnes,  occupied  this  valley  in  open 
hostility  to  the  Government,  and  from  an  ambush  fired  upon  the  royal 
troops  with  such  disastrous  effect  that  Lord  Deputy  Grey  was  compelled 
to  retreat  to  Dublin,  having  lost  several  distinguished  officers. 

Such  is  the  brief  history  of  the  ecclesiastical  city  that  once  adorned 
these  mountain  solitudes,  but  of  which  the  decaying  ruins  are  all  that 
now  remain.  Even  the  identity  of  the  Seven  Churches,  for  which  the 
valley  has  been  for  centuries  celebrated,  and  which  confer  a  second  name 
upon   the  spot,   cannot  be  exactly  ascertained  ;  and  no   vestige   of  the 


94 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  WICKLOW. 


famous  city*  of  Glendalough,  built  by  St.  Mochuorog,  survived  to  the 
present  century  except  a  small  paved  plot  of  ground  of  quadrangular  form, 
indicating  the  site  of  the  market-place  of  the  fallen  city.  No  traces  of 
domestic  buildings  have  been  discovered ;  but  the  site  of  a  causeway, 
extending  from  the  ancient  market-place  to  Hollywood,  on  the  borders 
of  the  county  of  Kildare,  is  still  discernible.  This  laborious  work  of  art 
was  about  twelve  feet  in  width,  and  was  composed  of  blocks  of  roughly- 
hewn  stone  set  edgewise,  not  unlike  the  Roman  roads  that  once 
traversed  England. 

The  stranger's  attention  is  naturally  first  attracted  to  the  cluster  of 
ruins,  situated  near  the  Lower  Lough,  and  to  the  hotel  that  has  been 
called  into  existence  by  the  natural  requirements  of  modern  explorers. 
The  group  consists  of  the  Round  Tower,  the  Cathedral,  Our  Lady's 
Church,  and  St.  Kevin's  House  or  Kitchen,  which  form  a  world  of  their 
own,  dark,  silent,  and  motionless  as  the  grave,  fitting  neighbors  to  the 
lake,f  whose  still  waters  are  thrown  into  solemn  shade  by  the  precipitous 
and  gloomy  mountains  which  overhang  them.  These  crumbling  remains, 
with  a  sacristy,  a  small  enclosure  now  used  as  a  cemetery  for  the 
Roman  Catholic  clergy,  stand  in  a  larger  and  well  tenanted  cemetery, 
entered  by  a  gateway,  now  much  dilapidated,  but  evidently  once  a 
portal  of  some  magnificence  with  outer  and  inner  arches  surmounted 
by   a   tower.     The   other   objects   of  interest   are   scattered  around  at 

*  "  From  what  can  now  be  discovered  of  the  ancient  city,"  writes  Dr.  Ledwich,  "by  its  walls  above,  and 
foundations  below  the  surface  of  the  earth,  it  probably  extended  from  the  Rheafert  Church  to  the  Ivy  Church,  on 
both  sides  of  the  river." 

\  Of  this,  the  smaller  of  the  two  loughs,  the  traveler,  Kohl,  was  informed  by  his  characteristic  Irish  guide  : 
"  It  is  also  called  the  Lake  of  Serpents,  your  honor,  or  Lough  Napeastia  ;  for  into  this  lake  it  was,  your  honor,  that 
St.  Patrick  banished  all  the  snakes  of  Ireland.  The  snakes,  naturally  enough,  were  little  pleased  with  such'  damp 
lodgings,  and  one  big  one,  in  particular  used  often  to  put  up  its  head  and  pray  the  saint  to  grant  it  a  little  more  liberty. 
So  St.  Patrick,  in  his  good  nature,  drew  a  circle  on  the  ground  and  told  the  serpent  to  consider  that  as  its  own  ground. 
Now,  when  they  began  to  build  the  seven  churches,  the  serpent  was  very  angry  at  what  it  considered  as  an  invasion 
of  its  own  territory  ;  and  at  night  it  used  to  come  out  of  the  water,  and  destroy  what  the  work-people  had  built  during 
the  day.  At  last  St.  Patrick  prayed  to  God  to  dispense  him  from  the  promise  he  had  made  to  the  snake,  and  God 
allowed  the  saint  to  banish  the  reptile  into  the  lake  again,  and  then  the  workmen  got  on  fast  enough  with  the  building." 
Another  version  of  the  legend  states  the  lake  to  have  been  tenanted  by  only  one  snake,  overlooked  by  St.  Patrick  when 
he  banished  the  reptiles  ;  and  that  St.  Kevin,  praying  to  be  relieved  of  him,  was  told  to  proceed  to  the  top  of  a  neigh- 
boring mountain  before  the  dew  was  off  the  ground,  and  going  thither,  found  the  serpent  asleep  near  an  empty  trunk. 
He  then  by  a  ruse  tempted  the  serpent  to  get  into  the  trunk,  and  locking  him  up  in  it,  carried  it  to  the  coast  and  threw 
it  into  the  sea  ;  and  when  the  winds  are  roaring  and  the  waves  are  lashing  at  that  particular  spot  it  is  asserted  the  noise 
is  heard  of  the  serpent  squirming  about  in  his  prison  and  crying  to  be  let  out. 


ROUND  TOWER  AND  RUINED  CHURCHES. 


9c 


some  little  distance,  and  comprise  Trinity  Church,  St.  Saviour's,  the 
Church  of  Rheafert,  Teampul-na-Skellig,  and  St.  Kevin's  Bed,  the  last 
three  being  close  to  the   Upper  Lough. 

Conspicuous  above  all  stands  the  Round  Tower,  one  of  the  finest 
specimens  of  its  kind  in  the  country,  rising  to  the  height  of  no  feet, 
and  having  a  circumference  of  51  feet.  The  conical  top,  which  made 
the  edifice  still  higher,  is  now  wanting,  having  been  carried  off  by  a 
storm  in  1804.  The  tower  has  evidently  been  well  built  of  granite 
and  slate  intermixed,  and  contains  the  usual  doorway,  and  four  windows 
at  the  summit,  with  two  more  over  the  entrance. 

Of  the  ecclesiastical  edifices  of  Glendalough,  the  Cathedral  (now  little 
better  than  a  heap  of  ruins),  which  owes  its  origin  to  St.  Kevin, 
claims  precedence.  Its  erection  is  attributed  to  the  early  part  of  the 
seventh  century,  and  to  Gobhan  Saer,  the  architect  of  that  period. 
It  is  the  smallest  of  the  Irish  cathedrals,  the  original  structure  being 
only  55  feet  long,  but  afterwards  extended  by  the  addition  of  a 
chancel.  The  architecture  was  evidently  of  the  rudest  style  and  almost 
destitute  of  ornament.  To  its  west  stand  the  ruins  of  the  Church 
of  Our  Lady,  believed  to  have  been  the  first  erected  in  the  lower 
part  of  the  valley  by  St.  Kevin.  Its  only  important  feature  is  a 
doorway  in  the  Grecian  style,  six  feet  high,  with  leaning  sides, 
composed  of  seven  stones  of  the  thickness  of  the  wall.  The  most 
perfect  of  the  seven  churches  is  that  which  is  popularly  but  incorrectly 
called  St.  Kevin's  Kitchen,  shown  by  our  artist  on  the  right  in  the 
picture  of  the  Round  Tower.  Its  dimensions  are  22  feet  by  15,  and 
its  character  somewhat  resembles  Cormac's  Chapel  on  the  Rock  of 
Cashel.  It  has  a  high  pitched  roof,  and  a  curious  round  belfry 
springing  from  the  west  end  with  a  conical  roof  and  four  apertures 
facing  the  cardinal  points,  after  the  style  of  the  loftier  round  towers. 
Dr.  Petrie  is  of  the  opinion  that  this  belfry  together  with  the  sacristy 
were  added  to  the  original  building  shortly  after  the  death  of  St.  Kevin, 
and  his  house  converted  into  a  church  out  of  veneration  for  his 
memory. 

There  is  a  superstition  connected  with  the  cemetery  which  surrounds 
these  buildings,  but  it  is  one  that  is  also  common  to  other  places. 
It    is    to    the    effect   that    any   person    buried    here   will    be  inevitably 


96 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  WICKLOW. 


saved  at  the  Day  of  Judgment,  St.  Kevin  having  prayed  that  the 
privilege  might  be  accorded  to  his  favorite  church.  This  will  evidently 
account  for  the  popularity  of  Glendalough  as  a  place  of  sepulture,  and 
several  crosses  scattered  about  mark  the  graves  of  by-gone  generations. 

Trinity  Church,  or  the  Ivy  Church,  as  it  is  generally  called  from  the 
plant  by  which  its  ruins  are  overgrown,  lies  about  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  to  the  eastward  on  the  bank  of  the  river  as  it  flows  toward 
Laragh,  and  was  evidently  originally  a  very  small  structure,  with  at 
one  time  a  round  tower  attached.  Near  to  it,  on  the  opposite  bank 
of  the  river,  in  the  demesne  of  Derrybawn,  lie  the  ruins  of  St.  Saviour's 
or  the  Monastery,  the  most  interesting  in  its  architecture  of  all  the 
churches  here  assembled.  Many  beautifully  .  carved  stones  and  fantastic 
sculptures,  still  remaining,  indicate  that  it  was  originally  a  highly 
decorated  building. 

On  the  opposite  or  western  side  of  the  main  group  and  romantic- 
ally situated  not  far  from  the  Upper  Lough,  and  the  Poolanass 
Waterfall,  which  discharges  into  it  the  waters  of  Lugduff  Brook,  are 
the  scanty  ruins  of  Rheafert  Church,  said  to  have  been  founded  by 
St.  Kevin  before  he  moved  to  the  margin  of  the  lower  lake.  It  is 
noted  as  the  "  Sepulchre  of  Kings,"  having  been  the  burial  place  of 
the  O'Tooles,  the  ancient  dynasts  of  the  district.  A  tomb  bore  an 
inscription  in  the  Irish  character,  but  it  is  now  defaced  by  age,  which 
indicated  it  as  the  resting-place  of  a  prince  of  that  race,  who  died 
in  the  year  810. 

Even  more  meagre  are  the  not  far  distant  ruins  of  Teampul-na-Skellig, 
or  the  Temple  of  the  Rock  or  Desert,  the  last  of  what  are  commonly 
called  the  Seven  Churches  of  this  glen,  situated  in  a  solitary  nook 
beneath  the  impending  mountain  of  Lugduff,  which  rises  to  a  height 
of  2176  feet.  It  is  related  that  to  this  small  rude  fabric,  almost 
inaccessible  except  by  water,  St.  Kevin  was  wont  to  retire  during  the 
season  of  Lent  to  devote  himself  to  prayer  and  devout  exercises. 
Tradition  further  informs  us  that  upon  one  occasion,  when  the  holy 
man  was  praying  at  a  window  in  this  chapel,  with  one  hand  extended 
in  a  supplicating  attitude,  a  blackbird  descended  and  deposited  her 
eggs  in  his  open  palm  ;  and  that  the  saint,  moved  with  compassion 
for   the   bird,    did    not   withdraw   his  hand,  but  remained  in  the  same 


ST.  KEVIN  AND   THE  FAIR  KATHLEEN. 


97 


position  until  the  creature  had  hatched  her  eggs.  For  this  reason, 
St.  Kevin  is  shown  in  all  representations  of  him  with  an  outstretched 
arm,  supporting  in  his  hand  a  bird's-nest. 

One  other  object  of  interest  in  this  wild  and  solitary  glen,  and  from 
the  poetic  inspiration  it  has  awakened  perhaps  the  best  known,  is  St. 
Kevin's  Bed,  a  small  cave  capable  of  containing  not  more  than  three 
persons,  hollowed  in  the  face  of  the  perpendicular  rock,  and  overhanging, 
at  a  considerable  height,  the  dark  waters  of  the  Upper  Lough.  The 
path  which  conducts  to  the  aerial  couch  of  the  solitary  recluse  is 
fearfully  narrow,  and  the  stranger  must  be  endowed  with  more  than 
ordinary  nerve,  who  (though  assured  by  the  guides  that  there  is  not 
the  least  danger  in  the  attempt)  can  muster  courage  enough  to  traverse 
the  perilous-looking  track  without  an  involuntary  shudder.  The  romantic 
tradition  attached  to  this  cave,  which  even  more  than  its  singular 
situation,  has  given  it  an  extraordinary  celebrity,  has  formed  the  subject 
of  Moore's  Irish  Melodv,  commencing- — 

"  By  that  lake  whose  gloomy  shore 
Skylark  never  warbles  o'er."* 

It  is  related  that  St.  Kevin,  not  less  remarkable  in  his  youth  for  his 
exemplar}'  piety  than  for  his  personal  attractions,  captivated  the  heart  of 
a  beautiful  and  high-born  maiden,  named  Kathleen,  of  whom  the  poet 

Writes  •<  gije  jjacj  iove<i  him  well  and  long, 

Wished  him  hers,  nor  thought  it  wrong  ; 
Wheresoe'er  the  saint  would  fly, 
Still  he  heard  her  light  foot  nigh  ; 
East  or  west,  where'er  he  turned, 
Still  her  eyes  before  him  burned." 

But  the  warm  glances  from  Kathleen's  "eyes  of  most  unholy  blue"  had 
no  power  to  melt  the  young  anchorite's  frigid  heart,  and  in  order  to  be 

*  Two  legends  account  for  the  absence  of  skylarks  from  this  spot.  One  informs  us  that,  there  being  no 
watches  in  those  days,  the  laborers  who  built  the  seven  churches  were  called  to  their  work  each  morning  by  the 
skylarks,  whose  song  told  them  when  it  was  time  to  begin  ;  and  so.  when  the  holy  work  was  completed,  St. 
Kevin  declared  that  no  lark  was  worthy  to  succeed  those  pious  birds  that  had  helped  in  the  building  of  the 
churches.  The  other  is  somewhat  different,  and  declares  that  the  men  took  an  oath  to  begin  with  the  lark  and 
lie  down  with  the  lamb  ;  and  that  the  larks  rose  so  early  over  the  valley  that  the  laborers  were  awakened 
before  they  were  refreshed,  and  many  consequently  died  from  over  exertion,  which  so  touched  St.  Kevin's  heart 
that  he  prayed  no  lark  might  sing  there,  and  thereby  saved  both  the  lives  and  oaths  of  the  rest.  A  more 
satisfactory  reason  for  their  absence  may  probably  be  found  in  the  fact  that  the  skylark  is  rather  averse  to  visiting 
districts  of  so  gloomy  a  character  as  that  presented  by  this  glen. 
II.— tt 


98 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  WICKLOW. 


freed  from  the  interruptions  of  her  visits,  he  concealed  himself  in  this 
cave  which  he  had  formed  near  the  base  of  Lugduff  Mountain. 

"  '  Here,  at  last,'  he  calmly  said, 
'  Woman  ne'er  shall  find  my  bed.' 
Ah  !  the  good  saint  little  knew 
What  that  wily  sex  can  do," 

for  the  fond  girl  tracked  her  lover's  steps  to  his  rocky  couch,  and 

"  Even  now,  while  calm  he  sleeps, 
Kathleen  o'er  him  leans  and  weeps." 

The  catastrophe  of  the  story  is  more  creditable  to  the  saint's  purity 
than  to  his  humanity ;  for,  awakening  from  his  slumbers,  and  perceiving 
a  female  beside  his  couch,  he,  in  a  moment  of  sudden  anger,  hurled  her 
from  the  cliff  into  the  lake  below.  But  no  sooner  had  the  gentle 
Kathleen  sunk  into  the  dark  waters  than  the  saint  reproached  himself 
for  his  cruel  conduct ;  and  though  he  could  not  save  the  life  of  her  who 
had  loved  him  so  tenderly,  he  put  up  a  prayer  to  heaven  that  no  other 
mortal  might  find  a  watery  grave  in  that  lake — a  prayer  that  the 
peasantry  in  the  neighborhood  firmly  believe  to  have  been  granted. 

In  later  years  this  lonely  cave  was  selected  as  the  hiding-place  of 
the  outlaw  from  the  pursuit  of  troops  armed  with  weapons  more  substan- 
tial, though  perhaps  possessed  of  a  less  penetrating  power,  than  the 
arrows  of  Cupid.  At  the  close  of  the  Rebellion  of  1798,  Captain  Dwyer 
and  his  band  sought  refuge  in  the  county  of  Wicklow ;  and  upon  one 
occasion  the  Captain  being  hotly  pursued  by  some  Scottish  High- 
landers, secreted  himself  here,  where  from  the  fatigue  caused  by  his  flight, 
he  was  overcome  by  sleep.  The  soldiers  stole  gently  up  to  the  mouth  of 
the  cave,  and  were  about  to  enter,  when  he  awoke,  sprung  into  the  lake, 
and,  swimming  to  the  opposite  shore,  escaped. 

We  cannot  part  from  Glendalough  without  contemplating  the  peculiar 
aspect  it  has  presented  to  other  eyes  than  our  own,  and  the  language 
in  which  other  travelers  have  perpetuated  their  thoughts.  Kohl,  the 
German  writer,  says  of  it,  "  The  scene  was  indeed  wonderful,  and  so 
peculiar  in  its  kind,  that  I  nowhere  remember  to  have  seen  anything  like 
it."  And  the  poetic  fancy  of  Caesar  Otway  dwelt  with  peculiar  pleasure 
upon  the  sombre  spectacle.  "  I  would  ponder,"  he  writes,  "  on  such  a 
spot  as  this  at  Glendalough,  surrounded  as  it  is  with  mighty  mountains, 


GLENMALURE  AND  ITS  SCENERY. 


99 


dark  winding  glens  ;  all  its  lakes,  streams,  rocks,  and  waterfalls,  in  keeping 
and  accordant  association  with  a  place  of  ruins — ruins  that  testify  of 
altars,  and  of  a  priesthood  overthrown — a  worship  made  desolate — a 
people  'scattered  and  peeled,'  where  the  long  continuous  shadow  of  the 
lofty  and  slender  round  tower  moves  slowly  from  morn  to  eve  over 
wasted  churches,  scattered  yew-trees,  and  the  tombs,  now  undistinguish- 
able,  of  bishops,  abbots,  and  anchorites,  walking  its  round  as  time-sentinel, 
and  telling  forth  to  the  Ancient  of  Days  how  many  suns  have  run  their 
diurnal  and  annual  course  since  these  holy  men  had  descended  to  their 
graves." 

Quitting  the  solitary  and  awe-inspiring  Glendalough,  we  directed  our 
course  to  the  Head  of  Glenmalure,  or  the  "  Glen  of  much  Ore." 
Our  route  took  us  from  Laragh  to  the  old  barrack  of  Drumgoff,  for 
nearly  six  miles  along  the  most  interesting  portion  of  the  military  road, 
which  is  here  carried  across  the  base  of  the  mountains,  separating  the 
Yale  of  Clara,  through  which  the  River  Avonmore  is  continued,  from 
Glenmalure,  the  sublime  valley,  through  which  the  Avonbeg  winds  for 
several  miles  ere  it  joins  the  Avonmore,  at  the  "  Meeting  of  the  Waters." 
As  we  ascended  the  road  beyond  Laragh,  we  obtained  several  charming 
views  of  the  latter,  as  it  pursued  its  serpentine  course  between  beautifully 
wooded  banks,  through  the  sylvan  Vale  of  Clara ;  and  then,  attaining  the 
highest  part  of  the  road,  913  feet  above  the  sea,  we  were  enabled  to 
command  an  extensive  view  southward  of  numerous  mountains,  and 
northward  of  the  country  through  which  we  had  passed,  from  the 
gloomy  shades  of  Glendalough  to  the  burnished  peaks  of  the  Sugar  Loaf 
Mountains.  Drumgoff  is  situated  about  midway  up  Glenmalure,  at  the 
point  where  the  valley  contracts  and  partakes  of  the  character  of  the 
glen.  The  journey  hither  to  the  head  is  along  a  rugged  mountain  road, 
past  some  abandoned  lead  mines,  and  presents  a  succession  of  magnificent 
mountain  pictures.  "  There  is  no  glen  in  Wicklow,"  remarks  Frazer, 
"comparable  with  this  portion  of  Glenmalure.  In  none  of  the  other 
glens  do  the  mountains  assume  such  well-defined  outlines,  and  at  the 
same  time  attain  to  such  elevations ;  nowhere  is  the  prevailing  character 
of  the  place  less  disturbed  by  the  traces  of  cultivation,  the  attempts  at 
improvement,  and  other  unaccording  circumstances  ;  nowhere  is  the  repose 
so  profound,  and  the  scenery  so  striking ;  nowhere   do   we  appear  to 


100 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  WICKLOW. 


be  so  embosomed  in  mountains ;  nor  do  we  remember  any  other  com- 
bination of  natural  objects  in  the  glen  scenery  of  the  district  so  capable 
of  awakening  emotions  of  awe  and  sublimity."  Our  picture  represents  a 
scene  near  the  head  of  this  glen,  where  the  Avonbeg,  after  originating 
in  some  mountain  rills  a  little  higher  up,  casts  its  still  infant  stream 
over  a  ledge  of  rocks  called  the  Ess-fall.  Lugnaquilla,  the  loftiest  of 
the  peaks  which  rise  above  Glenmalure,  is  the  highest  mountain  in 
Wicklow,  being  3039  feet  above  the  sea,  and  commands  from  its  summit 
views  of  the  whole  or  portions  of  the  counties  of  Wicklow,  Wexford, 
Carlow,  Kilkenny,  Tipperary,  Kildare,  Meath,  and  West  Meath.  In  its 
historical  associations,  Glenmalure  was  the  "  asylum  and  strong  fastness 
of  Feagh  Mac  Hugh  O'Brien,  or  O'Byrn  of  Ballinacor  ;  upon  whom 
Spenser  recommended  Queen  Elizabeth  to  expend  both  men  and  money, 
in  endeavoring  to  hem  him  in  by  a  circuitous  disposition  of  troops  ;" 
and  it  was  the  scene  of  many  bloody  encounters  in  the  Rebellion  of 
1798. 

The  lower  portion  of  Glenmalure  lying  between  Drumgoff  and  Rath- 
drum  is  extremely  pleasing,  for  here  the  valley  expands,  the  hills  slope 
gently  away,  and  being  wooded  down  to  the  banks  of  the  river,  the 
features  of  the  landscape  are  not  so  wild  and  rugged  as  in  the  upper 
part  of  the  glen.  The  village  of  Rathdrum  is  romantically  placed  on 
high  ground  overlooking  the  Avonmore  some  distance  above  its  junction 
with  the  Avonbeg,  and  which  here  runs  through  a  wooded  ravine.  It 
forms  part  of  the  estate  of  Earl  Fitzwilliam,  the  principal  landed  propri- 
etor in  the  county  of  Wicklow,  whose  possessions  include  a  large  copse- 
wood  three  or  four  miles  in  length,  and  a  mile  in  breadth,  extending  up 
the  Vale  of  Clara,  and  clothing  the  left  bank  of  the  Avonmore  for  some 
distance  with  a  garb  of  emerald  hue.  Rathdrum  is  a  station  upon  the 
Dublin,  Wicklow  and  Wexford  Railway,  the  line  approaching  it  from  the 
town  of  Wicklow  on  the  northeast,  and  in  its  further  progress  following 
the  course  of  the  river  to  Arklow. 

At  the  point  where  Glenmalure  unites  with  the  Vale  of  Clara  to  form 
in  their  union  the  Vale  of  Avoca,  the  most  striking  object  in  the  land- 
scape is  Castle  Howard,  picturesquely  perched  on  the  brow  of  a  lotty 
eminence,  apparently  upheld  by  the  tops  of  the  trees,  for  from  the  river's 
brink    to    the    stately   building   it    is    one    mass    of  luxuriant  foliage. 


THE  MEETING  OF  THE  WATERS. 


101 


Approaching  by  a  bridge,  which  crosses  the  Avonmore  a  little  above 
its  junction  with  the  Avonbeg,  the  road  passes  through  a  castellated 
gateway  and  over  an  ascending  wooded  plane  to  the  mansion,  which  from 
its  altitude,  standing  as  it  does  200  feet  above  the  river,  commands 
magnificent  views.  The  structure  in  itself,  however,  has  no  pretensions 
to  extent  or  magnificence.  Near  to  it  rises,  to  a  height  of  816  feet, 
the  bare  ridge  of  Cronebane,  surmounted  by  the  "  Mottha  Stone," 
fourteen  feet  by  ten  and  ten  feet  high,  supposed  by  antiquaries  to  have 
been  a  druidical  altar,  but  locally  known  as  the  hurling  stone  of  Finn 
Macoul.  The  view  presented  from  this  height  is  remarkably  interesting, 
and  embraces  the  richly  wooded  vales  of  Avoca,  Clara,  and  the  Avonbeg, 
the  wilds  of  Glenmalure  and  Glendalough,  and  the  cloud-capped  heights 
which  stretch  from  Lugnaquilla  to  Kippure,  the  mountain  birthplaces  of 
the  streams  which  mingle  their  waters  near  its  base. 

The  prominent  claim  that  Castle  Howard  presents  to  the  aesthetic 
sight-seer  is,  however,  one  that  more  closely  appeals  to  his  poetic  rather 
than  to  his  pictorial  fancy,  for  its  elevated  position  bestows  upon  it  a 
delightful  view  of  The  Meeting  of  the  Waters,  that,  coupled  with  the 
vale  through  which  they  harmoniously  pass,  formed  a  potent  inspiration 
to  the  early  muse  of  Ireland's  most  honored  poet.  Truly,  nature  has 
here  scattered  her  charms  with  a  liberal  hand  :  waving  woods,  clear 
waters,  and  verdant  shores,  combine  to  render  the  picture  one  of  surpass- 
ing softness  and  beautiful  tranquillity.  "  It  is  not  a  scene,"  says  an 
observant  writer,  "which  a  poet  or  painter  would  visit  if  he  wished  to 
elevate  his  imagination  by  sublime  views  of  nature,  or  by  images  of 
terror  ;  but  if  he  desired  to  represent  the  calm  repose  of  peace  and  love, 
he  would  choose  this  glen  as  their  place  of  residence."  No  language  can 
perhaps  adequately  convey  to  the  reader  a  more  pleasing  idea  of  the 
serene  beauty  of  this  enchanting  valley  than  that  presented  in  Moore's 
elegant  lyric,  commencing — 

"  There  is  not  in  the  wide  world  a  valley  so  sweet 
As  that  vale  in  whose  bosom  the  bright  waters  meet ; 
O,  the  last  rays  of  feeling  and  life  must  depart 
Ere  the  bloom  of  that  valley  shall  fade  from  my  heart." 

But  it  must  be  admitted  that  in  the  poet's  case  the  enchantment  was 
considerably  heightened   by  the   companionship   of  kind   friends,  whose 


102 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  WICKLOW. 


presence  added  zest  to  the  contemplation  of  the  scene.  Indeed  he 
confesses  as  much  in  his  concluding  stanza — 

"  Sweet  Vale  of  Avoca  !  how  calm  could  I  rest 
In  thy  bosom  of  shade,  with  the  friends  I  love  best, 
Where  the  storms  that  we  feel  in  this  cold  world  should  cease, 
And  our  hearts,  like  thy  waters,  be  mingled  in  peace." 

The  appellation  of  "  Meeting  of  the  Waters,"  however,  is  given  to  two 
distinct  parts  of  the  river — one,  distinguished  as  the  "  first  meeting," 
to  the  point  already  named,  where  the  waters  of  the  Avonmore  and  the 
Avonbeg  (the  greater  and  lesser  Avon)  unite  and  thenceforward  constitute 
the  Avoca  River ;  the  other,  known  as  the  "  second  meeting,"  to  a  spot 
declared  by  some  to  be  the  most  beautiful  of  the  two,  five  miles  further 
down  the  stream,  at  W ooden  Bridge  (a  handsome  stone  erection,  however, 
belies  its  name),  where  the  Aughrim  and  the  Gold  Mines  rivers  enter 
the  Avoca.  For  many  years  a  diversity  of  opinion  existed  as  to  which 
of  these  was  the  scene  of  the  poet's  verses  ;  and  the  matter  was  only 
settled  upon  the  publication  of  his  life  and  correspondence,  when  it  was 
discovered  without  doubt  that  the  upper  confluence  is  entitled  to  the 
honor. 

But  the  scene  has  been  vastly  marred  since  the  poet  visited  this 
romantic  spot  in  1807,  for  the  sylvan  charm  and  beauty  of  the  vale  has 
been  considerably  depreciated  by  the  construction  of  the  railway  through 
it,  and  the  operations  of  the  miners  who  delve  for  copper  in  the  bowels 
of  the  adjacent  mountains  ;  while  the  once  limpid  stream  is  now  sadly 
discolored  by  the  washings  of  sulphur  and  copper  ore.  Alas  !  such  is  the 
penalty  that  the  demands  of  commerce  and  the  needs  of  mankind  exact 
from  those  picturesque  regions  of  the  earth  that  hold  precious  treasures 
within  their  embrace.  Bountifully  indeed  has  nature  lavished  her  gifts 
upon  the  glens  and  mountains  of  Wicklow,  for  she  has  not  only  given 
beauty  to  its  hills  and  valleys,  but  has  enriched  the  bosom  of  the  earth 
with  mineral  wealth.  Towards  the  close  of  the  last  century,  a  quantity 
of  native  gold,  in  lumps  and  grains,  was  picked  up  hy  the  peasantry  in 
a  stream  that  descends  from  the  Croghan  Mountains,  which  lie  a  little 
to  the  southward  of  Wooden  Bridge  on  the  Wexford  border,  and  excited 
the  most  extravagant  hopes  respecting  the  existence  of  a  mine  of  the 
precious  metal.     Government  in   consequence  established  works  on  the 


THE   VALE  OF  AVOCA. 


103 


mountain-streams,  and  sunk  mines  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  the  gold, 
but  with  such  little  success  that  they  were  induced,  after  some  time,  to 
abandon  the  enterprise ;  for,  curious  to  relate,  although  the  quantity  of 
gold  collected  in  this  vicinity  from  August  24  to  October  15,  1796,  when 
government  took  possession  of  the  prize,  was  no  less  than  2666  ounces, 
sold  on  the  spot  for  ^10,000  of  the  Irish  currency  of  the  time,  the 
produce  of  the  mines  while  under  government  control  up  to  the 
Rebellion  in  1798  was  but  ,£3,500.  The  mines,  then  abandoned,  were 
partially  resumed  with  scant  succcess  in  1800,  since  which  latter  date  but 
little  gold  has  been  discovered  in  the  vicinity.* 

From  the  union  of  the  Avonmore  and  Avonbeg,  the  river  pursues  its 
devious  course  to  the  sea  through  a  fertile  valley,  whose  mountainous 
sides  are  thrown  into  an  endless  variety  of  lovely  pictures  by  the  irregu- 
larity of  their  positions.  These  mountainous  ridges  are  covered  with  the 
thick  foliage  of  the  oak,  and  are  richly  pictorial  in  heaths,  furze,  and 
other  upland  vegetation.  Further  onward  the  vale  gradually  expands  into 
broad  and  verdant  slopes,  dotted  at  intervals  with  white  cottages,  between 
which  the  river  glides  gently  towards  the  sea,  whose  blue  waters  make  a 
noble  boundary  to  a  combination  of  the  grandest  and  softest  scenery 
which  nature  has  ever  produced.  The  spectator,  however,  turns  from  the 
scene  with  one  feeling  of  regret — a  feeling  to  which  the  traveler  Kohl 
has  given  expression  in  these  words  :  "  After  all,  the  greatest  fault  of  the 
Vale  of  Avoca  is  that  it  is  so  short.  How  gladly  would  the  eye  feast 
on  more  of  those  beautiful  meadows,  those  bold  crags,  those  ivy-mantled 
oaks  !  " 

At  Wooden  Bridge  the  Avoca  trends  to  the  southeast,  which  direction 
it  takes  for  four  miles,  when  it  enters  the  sea  at  Arklow.  From  the 
same  point  the  railway  throws  off  a  branch  in  the  opposite  direction 
up  the  valley  of  the  Aughrim,  to  Tinnahely,  a  small  town  belonging  to 
Earl  Fitzwilliam,  whose  seat  of  Coolattin  is  in  the  neighborhood,  and 
terminates,  sixteen    and    a   half   miles    from  the  junction,  at  Shillelagh, 

*  It  is  a  fact  beyond  controversy,  from  the  precious  relics  constructed  of  gold  that  have  often  been  dug  up, 
that  the  metal  must  have  been  obtained  in  considerable  quantities  by  the  ancient  Irish.  The  discovery  in  the 
stream  descending  from  the  Croghan  Mountains  here  referred  to,  was  originally  made  by  a  schoolmaster,  who  for 
some  years  kept  the  secret  to  himself.  His  sudden  rise  into  a  position  of  comparative  wealth  sorely  puzzled 
his  neighbors,  who  attributed  his  repeated  wanderings  along  the  banks  of  the  stream,  to  the  actions  of  a 
diseased  mind. 


104 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  WICK  LOW. 


once  famous  as  a  fine  forest  of  oak,  the  greater  portion  of  which  was 
cut  clown  in   1693,  to  supply  fuel  for  ironworks  of  that  period.* 

Beautifully  situated  between  Wooden  Bridge  and  Arklow,  on  the 
northern  bank  of  the  Avoca,  Shelton  Abbey,  the  seat  of  the  Earl  of 
Wicklow,  stands  at  the  base  of  a  range  of  hills  which  rise  gently  around 
it,  and  are  luxuriantly  clothed  with  oak  and  birch-wood.  The  Gothic 
mansion  is  of  considerable  antiquity,  and  has  been  constructed  in  the 
style  of  an  ancient  abbey,  changed  after  the  Reformation  to  resemble  a 
baronial  residence.  -The  picturesque  character  of  the  edifice  has  a  fine 
effect,  and,  with  the  surrounding  scenery,  forms  one  of  the  most  charming 
landscapes  of  which  this  delightful  county  can  boast.  The  demesne 
stretches  for  a  considerable  distance  along  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  is 
thickly  studded  with  beech  and  chestnut  trees,  some  of  which  have 
attained  an  unusually  noble  growth.  On  the  southern  bank  of  the  river, 
nearly  opposite  to  Shelton,  is  Glenart  Castle,  belonging  to  the  Earl  of 
Carysfort,  girt  by  venerable  woods,  which  extend  almost  to  Arklow. 

Arklow  is  a  town  of  5000  inhabitants  situated  on  a  hill  overlooking 
the  sea,  near  the  southeastern  corner  of  the  county.  It  has  long  been  a 
busy  fishing  town,f  and  of  late  years  has  acquired  a  considerable  coasting 
trade,  owing  to  its  being  the  port  whence  the  copper  and  lead  ore  found 

*  Ireland  was  once  celebrated  for  her  oak  woods,  and,  according  to  the  authority  of  Spenser,  the  county  of 
Wicklow,  so  recently  as  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  was  greatly  encumbered  with  a  redundance  thereof.  Those  of 
Shillelagh  (a  barony  so  called)  conferred  the  universally  known  appellation  on  the  redoubtable  cudgel  of  the  Irish 
peasant,  the  toughness  of  which  can  only  be  equalled  by  the  heads  brought  into  contact  with  it  in  the  little 
"scrimmages"  that  occur  at  fairs,  patterns,  and  merry-makings.  These  woods  supplied  the  architect  of  West- 
minster Hall  with  the  oak  timber  of  which  the  roof  of  that  noble  and  venerable  edifice  was  constructed.  But 
the  glories  of  Shillelah  are  departed  ;  a  few  straggling  trees  are  all  that  now  remain  to  perpetuate  the  wooded  pride  of 
that  famous  district. 

\  Arklow  is  one  of  the  most  important  herring  and  oyster  fisheries  on  the  coast  of  Ireland,  the  industry  giving 
employment  to  one-half  the  inhabitants  and  between  three  and  four  hundred  boats.  Like  the  Claddagh  men  of 
Galway,  the  fishermen  of  Arklow  are  a  distinct  race  from  the  other  inhabitants.  They  will  allow  no  persons  but 
those  engaged  in  the  fishery  to  live  in  the  quarter  of  the  town  they  have  appropriated  to  themselves  ;  and  being  wholly 
devoted  to  their  own  particular  pursuits,  they  hold  but  little  intercourse  with  their  neighbors  ;  neither  will  they, 
even  when  reduced  to  absolute  distress,  employ  themselves  in  any  occupations  not  connected  with  their  favorite 
tlement.  Their  lives  afford  an  incessant  variety,  which  seems  the  zest  of  their  existence.  They  endure  all  the 
hardships  and  privations  of  a  seafaring  life  with  astonishing  patience  and  resolution  ;  but  as  soon  as  the  cause  which 
urges  them  to  exertion  is  removed,  they  relapse  into  indolence,  and  remain  sitting  at  home  by  the  fireside  for  days 
together,  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  the  pleasure  of  "  doing  nothing  at  all."  Sometimes  they  have  money  in  abund- 
ance, at  others  they  are  suffering  under  the  bitterest  effects  of  imprudence  and  poverty.  But  probably  in  these 
respects  they  differ  little  from  the  same  class  of  men  all  over  the  world  ;  and  both  their  defects  and  good  qualities,  it 
is  likely,  may  be  traced  in  all  cases  to  the  same  cause — a  life  of  chance  and  adventure. 


THE  TOWN  OF  ARK  LOW. 


105 


in  the  valley  of  Avoca,  and  carried  thither  by  tramway,  is  forwarded  to 
Swansea,  for  smelting.  It  cannot,  however,  occupy  a  prominent  posi- 
tion as  a  port,  in  consequence  of  a  sand  bar  impeding  the  entrance  of 
large  vessels  into  the  harbor.  The  town,  under  the  name  of  Arclogh, 
was  included  under  those  grants  of  territory  for  which  Henry  II.  caused 
service  to  be  done  at  Wexford.  Its  only  relic  of  antiquity  adjoins  the 
barracks,  and  is  an  old  ivy-grown  tower,  the  remains  of  the  Castle  built 
by  one  of  the  Ormond  family,  who  once  held  large  possessions  in  the 
county.  In  1 33 1  it  was  taken  from  the  English  by  the  O'Tooles,  who, 
however,  were  shortly  after  driven  from  it  by  Lord  Birmingham.  Subse- 
quently the  Irish  once  more  became  its  masters,  but  were  again  expelled 
by  the  English  ;  and  then  in  1641  the  Irish,  for  a  third  time,  surprised 
the  castle,  put  the  garrison  to  the  sword,  and  kept  possession  of  it  till 
1649,  when  it  was  captured  by  Oliver  Cromwell,  who  dismantled  it,  and 
reduced  it  to  a  heap  of  ruins.  The  remains  of  a  monastery,  founded  in 
the  thirteenth  century,  by  Theobald  Fitzwalter,  Lord  Butler  of  Ireland, 
in  the  reign  of  Henry  II.,  were  visible  in  the  rear  of  the  town  at  the 
close  of  the  last  century,  but  they  have  now  wholly  disappeared.  On 
June  10,  1798,  Arklow  was  the  scene  of  a  severe  encounter  between  the 
royal  troops  under  General  Needham  and  a  large  body  of  Irish  led  by 
a  priest  named  Michael  Murphy. 

From  Arklow  the  railway  proceeds  in  a  southwesterly  direction  to 
Wexford,  passing  through  the  ancient  ecclesiastical  city  of  Ferns*  and 
the  town  of  Enniscorthy.  We  were,  however,  unable  to  visit  these 
places,  as  it  was  necessary  to  return  by  our  conveyance  to  Dublin,  along 
a  road  equidistant  from  the  railway  and  the  route  we  had  already 
traversed,  in  order  that  we  might  visit  a  couple  of  the  beauty  spots  ot 
the  county  that  we  had  yet  to  see  ;  and  to  this  we  devoted  the  third 
and  last  day  of  our  sojourn  within  its  borders.    Leaving  Arklow  by  the 

*  Though  now  a  decayed  and  insignificant  place,  Ferns  was  once  the  capital  of  the  Kingdom  of  Leinster,  and  its 
archiepiscopal  see,  the  latter  being  founded  in  598  by  either  St.  Mogue  or  St.  Edan.  The  Protestant  bishopric  was 
enlarged  in  1600  by  the  addition  of  Leighlin,  and  the  united  see  was  annexed  to  Ossory  in  1835.  In  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church,  Ferns  remains  a  distinct  diocese  with  the  episcopal  residence  at  Wexford.  The  cathedral  is  a  com- 
paratively modern  building,  erected  on  the  site  of  an  old  church,  supposed  to  have  been  that  of  St.  Edan.  King 
John,  who  when  Earl  of  Morton,  built  the  castle  offered  the  bishopric  to  Gerald  Barri  (Giraldus  Cambrensis),  but  the 
honor  was  declined  by  that  egotistical  and  ambitious  ecclesiastic.  The  old  cathedral  town  of  Leighlin  lies  near 
Bagnalstown,  in  the  county  of  Kilkenny  ;  its  see  was  founded  by  St.  Laserian  in  632,  and,  as  already  stated,  the 
Protestant  diocese  was  united  to  Ferns  in  1600. 
II. — 43 


106 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  WICKLOW. 


long  narrow  bridge  which  crosses  the  Avoca,  we  proceeded  to  the  town 
of  Wicklow,  15  miles  distant,  by  the  road,  which  is  much  straighter  than 
the  railway,  and  some  five  miles  shorter,  but  contained  little  to  interest 
eyes  that  had  been  almost  surfeited  with  natural  beauties. 

The  county  town  of  Wicklow  is  a  place  of  about  3500  inhabitants, 
pleasantly  situated  in  a  semi-circle  on  the  slope  of  a  hill,  the  base  of 
which  is  washed  by  the  sea.  The  town  itself  is  not  particularly  interest- 
ing, but  there  are  pleasant  walks  from  it  to  Bride's  and  Wicklow  Heads, 
each  of  which  is  surmounted  by  a  lighthouse.  Its  original  Irish  name 
was  Cill-mantain,  or  the  church  of  St.  Mantan,  but  its  present  name  is 
supposed  to  come  from  "  Wigginge  Lough,"  the  Lake  of  Ships,  from 
having  been  one  of  the  earliest  maritime-  stations  of  the  Danes.  The 
tower  of  Black  Castle,  situated  on  a  promontory,  forms  all  that  is  left  of 
a  fortress  originally  built  by  Maurice  Fitzgerald  in  the  twelfth  century, 
but  being  destroyed,  was  rebuilt  in  1375  by  William  Fitzwilliam,  governor 
of  the  district.  Early  in  the  sixteenth  century  it  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  Byrnes,  who  surrendered  it  to  Henry  VIII.  in  1543,  and  was 
afterwards  in  1641,  unsuccessfully  invested  by  Luke  O'Toole. 

The  town  stands  at  the  outlet  of  a  long  narrow  creek  called  the 
Broad  Lough,  which  forms  the  egress  for  the  waters  of  the  Vartry,  and 
is  bordered  by  an  extensive  salt  marsh,  called  the  Murrough.  It  also 
possesses  a  small  harbor  which  has  recently  been  enlarged  ;  but  the  bar 
off  the  coast  is  an  insuperable  obstacle  to  its  becoming  a  flourishing  sea- 
port. In  the  construction  of  the  railway  between  Wicklow  and  Bray, 
many  engineering  difficulties  have  been  overcome,  the  line  at  many  points 
being  cut  through  the  rocks  which  overhang  the  sea.  Travelers,  however, 
who  desire  to  visit  the  Devil's  Glen  and  the  Glen  of  the  Downs,  which 
lie  between  those  towns,  but  at  some  little  distance  from  the  coast,  find 
it  best  to  do  so  by  the  common  road,  and  the  employment  of  a  motor 
that  is  neither  so  noisy  nor  so  swift  as  the  iron  steed. 

Bent  upon  seeing  these  two  places  we  now  proceeded  upon  this  latter 
route,  and  a  drive  of  three  miles  through  a  rich  valley  brought  us  to  a 
charming  country  hotel  at  Newrath  Bridge  on  the  Vartry,  near  to  which 
is  Rosanna  House,  formerly  the  home  of  Mrs.  Tighe,  the  amiable  and 
highly  gifted  author  of  "  Psyche,"  one  of  the  most  graceful  poems  in  the 
language.    The  hotel  has  the  adjunct  of  a  fine  garden,  and  "combines 


THE  DEVIL'S  GLEN. 


107 


all  the  comforts  of  an  inn  with  the  quiet  of  a  private  house  in  the 
country  ; "  and  perhaps  it  is  owing  to  the  additional  charm  of  its  vicinage 
to  the  former  residence  of  the  author  of  "  Pysche "  that,  to  employ 
the  language  of  Sir  John  Forbes,  "  it  is  said  to  be  a  favorite  resort  with 
those  whom  Psyche's  lord  has  just  delivered  into  the  hands  of  Hymen." 
That  eminent  physician  saw  some  indications  of  this  fact  in  the  poetical 
effusions  contained  in  the  well-filled  album  of  the  hotel  ;  and  could  not 
deny  that  the  selection  of  the  locality  seemed  appropriate. 

We  then  proceeded  a  couple  of  miles  higher  up  the  Vartry  to  the 
Devil's  Glen,  a  wild  ravine  of  a  mile  and  a  half  in  length,  and  a 
combination  of  rock,  wood,  and  water,  sufficiently  beautiful  to  entitle  the 
spot  to  have  been  named  with  greater  propriety  the  Glen  of  the  Gods. 
One  side  of  the  dell  belongs  to  the  estate  of  Glenmore,  the  other  to  the 
demesne  of  Ballycurry  ;  and  at  its  head  the  river  Vartry  tumbles  over  a 
ledge  of  rock,  down  one  hundred  feet,  forming  a  beautiful  cascade,  and 
thence  rushes  through  the  glen  in  a  succession  of  rapids.  But  the  volume 
of  the  stream  has  been  much  reduced  since  the  formation  of  the  Round- 
wood  reservoir,  a  mile  above  the  fall,  and  the  diverting  of  a  considerable 
portion  of  its  waters  to  the  needs  of  the  citizens  of  Dublin.  The  Devil's 
Glen  possesses  almost  the  same  characteristics  as  the  Dargle  and  the 
Glen  of  the  Downs,  to  which  latter  we  next  proceeded.  It  was,  however, 
to  our  view,  more  noble,  and  more  beautiful,  for  the  right  bank  of  the 
ravine  rises  four  hundred  feet,  and  its  craggy  walls  protrude  in  many 
places  through  the  green  foliage  with  which  it  is  lined.  It  was,  too,  of  a 
more  sombre  character,  and  we  know  of  no  spot  better  suited  for  the 
indulgence  of  deep  meditation  than  this  solitary  and  secluded  glen.  The 
bleakness  of  the  country  beyond  also  gives  to  it  an  air  of  wildness, 
for  the  view  from  above  its  lofty  side  embraces  the  chain  of  the  Wicklow 
mountains  on  the  west  from  Lugnaquilla  to  Douce  and  Kippure.  To 
the  critical  author  of  "  Vanity  Fair "  this  rocky  dell  was  a  perfect  world 
of  enchantment,  for  he  tells  us  that  he  found  it  "a  delightful  wild  walk, 
and  where  a  Methuselah  of  a  landscape-painter  might  find  studies  for  all 
his  life  long.  All  sorts  of  foliage  and  color,  all  sorts  of  delightful  caprices 
of  light  and  shadow — the  river  tumbling  and  frothing  amidst  the  boulders 
— '  raucum  per  Icevia  murmur  saxa  ct'ens,'  and  a  chorus  of  150,000 
birds  (there  might  be  more),  hopping,  twittering,  singing  under  the  clear 


108 


THE  BEAUTIES  OF  WJCKLOW. 


cloudless  Sabbath  scene,  make  this  walk  one  of  the  most  delightful  that 
can  be  taken."  And,  visiting  the  spot  on  a  Sunday,  he  further  filled  in 
his  verbal  picture  with  similes  applied  to  act  as  palliatives  to  his  con- 
science for  absence  from  a  place  of  worship;  for,  "here,"  he  adds,  "was 
a  long  aisle,  arched  gothically  overhead,  in  a  much  better  taste  than  is 
seen  in  some  of  those  dismal  new  churches  ;  and,  by  way  of  painted  glass, 
the  sun  lighting  up  multitudes  of  various  colored  leaves,  and  the  birds 
for  choristers,  and  the  river  by  way  of  organ,  and  in  stones  enough  to 
make  a  whole  library  of  sermons.  No  man  can  walk  in  such  a  place 
without  feeling  grateful,  and  grave,  and  humble ;  and  without  thanking 
heaven  for  it  as  he  comes  away."  It  was  in  the  Devil's  Glen  that  the 
redoubtable  General  Holt  secreted  himself  during  the  preparations  for  the 
Rebellion  of  1798;  and  at  the  close  of  the  insurrection  it  became  the 
hiding  place  of  the  scattered  insurgents,  who  were  finally  expelled  by 
setting  fire  to  the  woods,  blackened  stumps  long  marking  the  scene  of 
the  conflagration. 

It  is  nearly  a  dozen  miles  from  the  Devil's  Glen  to  the  Glen  of  the 
Downs ;  and  in  proceeding  to  the  latter  we  turned  off  from  the  main  road 
to  ride  through  the  pass  of  Dunran  which  runs  near  and  parallel  to  it. 
This  latter  is  a  narrow  ravine  stretching  for  two  miles  along  the  base  of 
Carrick-na-muck  ;  and,  though  not  to  be  compared  with  the  Devil's  Glen, 
the  Dargle,  or  the  Glen  of  the  Downs,  it  is  nevertheless  one  of  the 
gems  which  enrich  the  eastern  part  of  the  county  of  Wicklow  ;  and  while 
it  assimilates  with  the  general  character  of  the  magnificent  scenery  of  the 
district,  possesses  sufficient  individual  attractions  to  amply  compensate  for 
a  slight  deviation  from  the  direct  course.  As  we  journeyed  onwards  we 
passed  through  Newtownmountkennedy,  a  small  town  situated  in  the 
midst  of  charming  scenery,  and  surrounded  by  many  handsome  country 
seats  ;  and  previously  to  entering  the  Glen  of  the  Downs,  through  which 
the  public  road  runs,  we  passed  a  branch  road  to  the  east  that  leads  to 
Delgany,  a  pretty  village  on  the  sea  coast,  containing  many  summer  resi- 
dences belonging  to  the  citizens  of  Dublin. 

The  Glen  of  the  Downs  receives  its  name  from  running  along 
the  base  of  the  Downs  mountain,  which  attains  to  an  elevation  of  1232 
feet,  and  adjoins  the  Sugar  Loaf.  It  is  a  mile  and  a  half  in  length,  but, 
having  an  average  breadth  of  only   150  feet  and  sides  rising  boldly  to 


THE  GLEX  OE  THE  DOWNS. 


109 


the  height  of  300  feet,  it  partakes  more  of  the  character  of  a  ravine 
than  of  a  glen.  These  precipitous  walls  are  clothed  in  many  parts  with 
oak.  ash,  and  evergreen  shrubs,  and  at  times  approach  so  near  as  barely 
to  leave  room  for  the  narrow  road  and  the  small  bright  stream  that 
glides  with  a  devious  course  through  this  romantic  pass,  which  presents 
at  every  step  a  constant  succession  of  new  charms.  High  upon  the 
wooded  hill,  to  the  right,  as  we  proceed  towards  Bray,  stands  a 
banqueting-house  and  a  romantic  cottage,  so  delightfully  situated  as  to 
impart  an  air  of  poetry  to  the  whole  landscape.  These  tasteful  accessories 
to  the  beauty  of  the  scene  were  constructed  by  the  Latouche  family, 
through  whose  extensive  and  finely-wooded  demesne  of  Bellevue  this 
enchanting  glen  runs.  From  an  octagonal  room  in  the  banqueting-house, 
the  best  view  of  the  surrounding  country  is  obtained;  the  glen  far 
beneath,  with  the  many-tinted  sides  of  the  rock)-  steeps  by  which  it  is 
overhung,  rich  in  native  woods  and  abundant  plantations,  and  the  sublime 
galaxy  of  neighboring  mountains,  amongst  which  the  dazzlingly  white 
peaks  of  the  two  Sugar-Loaf  hills  tower  conspicuously — all  combine  to 
present  a  scene  of  luxurious  softness,  relieved  by  one  of  grandeur  and 
magnificence. 

At  the  northern  outlet  of  the  Glen  of  the  Downs  we  were  but  five 
miles  from  Bray,  the  road  thither  leading  through  the  valley  which 
divides  the  two  Sugar-Loaf  Mountains.  As  we  neared  the  town  we  passed 
through  the  grounds  of  Hollybrook,  a  favorite  show-place  for  visitors 
and  once  the  residence  of  Robin  Adair,  the  subject  of  the  well-known 
sonor  written  to  the  Irish  air  of  "  Aileen  Aroon."     The  Tudor  mansion 

o 

replaced  one  built  in  the  seventh  century,  and  is  surrounded  by  aged 
shrubs  and  evergreens.  After  crossing  the  bridge  at  Bray,  we  were  once 
more  in  the  count)*  of  Dublin,  and  rattling  on  to  the  metropolis,  through 
a  district  already  described- 


110 


THE    VALLEY  OF  THE  BOYNE. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  VALLEY  OF  THE  BOYNE. 

Historic  Importance  of  the  River — Glasnevin  and  its  Celebrities — Trim  and  its  Ancient  Castle — 
Newtown  Trim  and  its  ecclesiastical  ruins — Bective  Abbey — Hill  of  Tara  and  its  historic 
glories — Beauty  of  the  river  s  banks — Holy  Wells — Patterns  and  the  cause  of  their  decline — 
Athlutnney  Castle — Navan — Kells  and  St.  Columbkille — Hill  of  Telton  and  its  ancient  fair — 
Strange  Matrimonial  Custom — Church  and  Bound  Tower  of  Donaghmore — Antiquities  at 
Slane — St.  Patrick's  Defiaiice — Brugh-na-Boinne,  the  Royal  Cemetery — Mound  at  New 
Grange — Battle  of  the  Boyne — Drogheda  and  its  associations — Mellifont  and  Monasterboice. 

PROBABLY  no  stream  in  Ireland  can  lay  claim  to  having  been  the 
theatre  of  more  important  historic  incidents  than  the  Boyne  ;  for  not 
far  from  its  banks  Tara's  regal  hill  uplifts  its  honored  head  now  clad  with 
verdant  sward,  but  in  the  dim  past  crowned  with  innumerable  glories  of 
princely  pomp  renowned  in  bardic  story ;  while  at  its  very  brink  was 
fought  that  memorable  battle,  called  by  its  name,  which  gave  the  final 
blow  to  the  hopes  of  the  last  sovereign  of  the  line  of  Stuart.  Desirous, 
therefore,  of  taking  in  as  much  as  we  possibly  could  of  the  stream  in  our 
progress  to  the  north,  we  proceeded  from  Dublin  by  30  miles  of  railway 
to  Trim,  branching  off  from  the  main  line  of  the  Midland  Great  Western, 
about  half  a  dozen  miles  after  it  leaves  the  Broadstone  station.  Steaming 
then  out  of  the  terminus,  our  attention  was  almost  immediately  attracted 
by  the  pleasant  suburb  of  Glasnevin,  where,  as  we  have  already  stated, 
the  Royal  Dublin  Society  has  its  beautiful  Botanical  Gardens.  The 
grounds  were  formerly  the  property  of  the  poet  Tickell,  who  accompanied 
Addison  to  Ireland  when  the  latter  became  secretary  to  Lord  Sunderland. 
This  village,  indeed,  has  in  its  time  been  greatly  honored  by  literary 
talent,  for  in  or  near  it,  as  we  have  also  previously  mentioned,  likewise 
resided  Parnell,  Swift,  and  Steele  ;  while  hard  by,  at  Delville,  lived  Dr. 
Delaney,  whom  Stella  visited  so  as  to  be  near  her  eccentric  admirer.  At 


GLASNEVJN  AND  ITS  CEMETERY. 


Ill 


Glasnevin,  too,  is  the  principal  metropolitan  cemetery,  situated  on  a  plain, 
but  laid  out  with  considerable  taste.  Conspicuous  from  every  point  is 
O'Connell's  monument — a  granite  round  tower,  170  feet  in  height,  sur- 
mounted by  a  cross  eight  feet  high,  weighing,  it  is  said,  about  two  tons — 
and  containing  in  the  crypt  at  its  base,  the  mortal  remains  of  the 
liberator.  Near  to  it  is  the  simple  but  solid  tomb  of  William  Dargan, 
to  whose  generosity  we  have  more  than  once  shown  Ireland  to  be  greatly 
indebted ;  and  in  another  part  of  the  cemetery  the  more  remarkable  one 
of  John  Philpot  Curran,  constructed  of  Irish  granite,  and  an  exact  fac- 
simile of  the  monument  of  Scipio  Barbatiens. 

Trim  {Ath-trium,  the  Pass  or  Ford  of  the  Elder  Trees),  is  the  county 
town  of  Meath,  and  lies  upon  the  Boyne  about  midway  in  its  passage 
from  its  source  to  the  sea.  The  only  places  of  import  found  upon  the 
upper  half  of  the  liver  have  been  described  in  the  last  chapter  of  the 
previous  volume.  We  shall  therefore  now  take  up  the  story  of  the  stream 
at  this  point,  and  follow  it  to  its  outlet  at  Drogheda,  independent  of  the 
railway,  which  does  not  keep  sufficiently  near  to  its  bank  for  our  pur- 
pose. The  ruined  buildings  in  and  around  Trim  mark  it  as  a  place  of 
great  antiquity.  It  was  early  a  small  ecclesiastical  see,  St.  Loman, 
nephew  of  St.  Patrick,  being  reputed  its  first  bishop ;  but  for  the  past 
700  years  it  has  been  the  seat  of  the  bishopric  of  Meath.*  The  history 
of  Trim,  during  its  palmy  days,  like  that  of  many  other  Irish  towns,  is  a 
succession  of  burnings  and  sackings,  and  may  be  said  to  comprise  the 
period  between  1108,  when  it  is  stated  to  have  been  taken  by  the  Irish 
chieftain,  Connor  O'Melaghlin,  and  1649,  when  it  surrendered  to  Oliver 
Cromwell.  It  was  the  castellated  home  of  the  DeLacys,  the  Anglo-Nor- 
mans, upon  whom  Henry  II.  bestowed  the  largest  share  of  the  kingdom 
of  the  O'Melaghlins,  monarchs  of  Meath — formerly  one  of  the  five  prov- 
inces into  which  Ireland  was  divided  ;  it  was  the  scene  of  a  gay  court 
held  by  Richard  Earl  of  Ulster,  in  the  reign  of  Edward  II.,  and  the  place 
of  imprisonment  by  Richard  I.,  of  Humphrey  of  Gloucester,  and  of  Henry 
of  Lancaster,  afterwards  Henry  V.  ;  and  within  it  several  successive  Parlia- 
ments were   held,  at   one  of  which  a  mint  was  established.  Dropping 


*  This  bishopric  is  composed  of  several  minor  sees,  which  were  anciently  distinct.  The  most  important  appears 
to  have  been  Clonard,  founded  by  St.  Finian  in  520.  Eugene  was  the  first  prelate  who  assumed  the  title  of  Bishop 
of  Meath  in  1 174;  and  the  see  was  removed  to  Newtown  Trim  early  in  the  following  century. 


112 


THE   VALLEY  OF  THE  BOYNE. 


down  to  a  century  ago,  the  old  city  lays  claim  to  having  been  for  a  time 
the  residence  of  the  great  Duke  of  Wellington,  who  not  only  took  an 
active  part  in  its  public  affairs,  but  represented  it  in  the  Irish  parliament ; 
and  a  lofty  pillar,  crowned  by  his  statue,  has  been  raised  in  his  honor 
near  the  house  in  which  he  dwelt. 

The  leading  archaeological  features  in  Trim,  to  quote  from  Sir 
William  R.  W.  Wilde's  "  Beauties  of  the  Boyne,"  are,  "  the  grey  massive 
towers  of  King  John's  Castle,  with  its  outward  walls  and  barbican — the 
gates  and  towers  and  bastion — the  fosse,  moat,  and  chapel — the  Sheep- 
gate  and  portions  of  the  town  wall — and  above  all,  the  tall,  commanding 
form  of  the  Yellow  Steeple,  which  seems  the  guardian  genius  of  the  sur- 
rounding ruins."  It  is  presumed  that  this  steeple  was  originally  used  as 
a  signal  and  watch-tower,  and  that  it  occupies  the  site  of  the  Abbey  of 
St.  Mary,  founded  in  432  by  St.  Patrick.  It  is  125  feet  in  height, 
divided  into  five  stages,  and  is  attributed  to  the  Anglo-Norman  period, 
while  the  demolition  of  a  part  of  its  walls  has  been  assigned  to  the 
cannon  of  Oliver  Cromwell.  The  Sheepgate  is  a  round-headed  arch,  in 
the  ruined  town  wall  near  the  steeple,  and  with  another,  the  Watergate, 
constitutes  all  that  is  left  of  the  ancient  entrances.  King  John's  Castle, 
so  called  because  he  once  lodged  in  it,  was  originally  built  by  Hugh 
DeLacy  in  11 73,  but  shortly  after  burnt  by  Hugh  Tyrrel,  in  whose  charge 
it  was  left,  upon  his  being  unable  to  withstand  the  attack  of  Roderic 
O'Connor,  King  of  Connaught.  Its  rebuilding  has  been  attributed  to 
Richard  Pipard,  who,  however,  Camden  asserts  lived  previous  to  the 
DeLacys  becoming  possessed  of  Meath.  The  ruins,  some  parts  of  which 
are  in  excellent  preservation,  cover  an  area  of  two  acres,  and  from  their 
elevated  site  on  the  banks  of  the  Boyne,  form  very  striking  objects. 
They  indicate  a  fortress  unequalled  for  extent  in  the  country,  and  com- 
prise a  lofty  keep  80  feet  high,  flanked  with  many  rectangular  and  circu- 
lar towers,  with  barbican,  portcullis,  and  surrounding  moat,  into  which 
latter  the  waters  of  the  Boyne  could  be  admitted  at  pleasure.  Trim  also 
once  possessed  two  other  castles,  and  still  retains  scanty  remains  of  a 
Dominican  Black  Friary,  but  no  traces  are  left  of  the  Grey  Friary  of 
Observantines  founded  there,  nor  of  its  Round  Tower,  the  burning  of 
which  in  1108  by  Connor  O'Melaghlin,  and  in  1127  by  Connor  Feargal 
O'Loughlin,  is  recorded.    The  parish  church  is  an  ancient  edifice  with  a 


NEWTOWN  TRIM  AND  ITS  RUINS. 


113 


steeple,  of  the  date  of  1449,  erected  by  Richard,  Duke  of  York.  There 
are  also  the  usual  county  buildings  appertaining  to  an  assize  town.* 

The  river,  after  passing  Trim,  winds  for  between  two  and  three  miles 
through  broad  green  lawns  to  Newtown  Trim,  where  are  to  be  found  the 
extensive  remains  of  the  monastery  and  the  ancient  Cathedral  of  St.  Peter 
and  St.  Paul,  one  of  the  earliest  and  most  elegant  specimens  of  light 
pointed  Gothic  in  the  kingdom,  mantled  with  ivies  centuries  old  but  still 
of  the  freshest  green.  This  cathedral  was  founded  in  1206,  by  Simon  de 
Rochfort,  the  first  Englishman  who  became  Bishop  of  Meath,  and  who 
removed  its  see  hither  from  Clonard,  15  miles  higher  up  the  river,  the 
cathedral  city  of  his  Irish  predecessors.  There  are,  too,  a  little  lower 
down  the  river  at  the  bridge,  some  castellated  ruins,  including  a  large 
rectangular  keep,  and  the  remains  of  St.  John's  Friary. 

Passing  further  down  the  island-dotted  stream,  which  now  quickens 
its  course  between  banks  more  elevated  and  broken  than  before,  it  runs 
in  succession  by  Scurloughstown  Castle,  an  Anglo-Norman  fortress  of 
1 1 80,  whose  massive  sides  were  cracked  by  Cromwell's  cannon  balls  ; 
by  the  scanty  remains  of  Trubley  Castle,  where  it  is  said  Cromwell 
took  a  night's  rest  ;  and,  at  five  miles  from  Trim,  by  the  noble  ruins 
of  Bective  Abbey,  founded  in  1146  by  Murchard  O'Melaghlin,  King  of 
Meath,  and  of  which  sufficient  is  left  to  indicate  the  mixed  monastic 
and  military  character  of  the  institution. 

Five  miles  to  the  right  of  Bective  Abbey  lies  that  renowned  eminence 
on  whose  brow,  more  than  thirteen  centuries  ago,  beat  the  warm  heart 
of  Ireland,  whose  pulsations  were  felt  in  every  corner  of  the  land — the 
famous  "  Hill  of  Tara,"  f   celebrated   by    ancient    bards    and  historians 

*  Two  miles  south  of  Trim  is  the  parish  church  of  Laracor,  the  second  benifice  of  the  immortal  author  of 
"  Gulliver."  The  glebe-house  in  which  he  dwelt  has  passed  away,  and  the  residence  of  "  Stella"  and  Mrs.  Dingley 
is  now  unknown,  though  the  latter  is  asserted  to  have  been  about  a  mile  nearer  Trim.  A  modern  church  has 
replaced  that  in  which  Swift  officiated,  with  "  dearly  beloved  Roger"  as  a  clerk,  to  a  flock  of  about  a  dozen. 

\  According  to  Wright  the  original  name  of  the  hill  was  Liathdruim,  "  the  Gray  Eminence,"  upon  which, 
Keating  says,  Thea,  the  wife  of  Heremon,  the  first  monarch  of  Ireland,  ordered  a  palace  to  be  built  for  herself, 
whence  it  was  called  Temor,  the  House  of  Thea.  Dinn  Seauchers,  an  ancient  Irish  topography,  asserts  on  the 
contrary  that  the  etymon  of  Temor  is  "  the  House  of  Music"  (from  Teadh,  a  musical  chord,  and  Mur,  a  house), 
and  it  was  so  called,  adds  that  valuable  MS.,  "from  its  celebrity  for  melody  above  all  places  in  the  world." 
We  are  still  otherwise  informed  that  the  word  denotes  "a  pleasant  and  agreeable  place  with  a  covered  or  shaded 
walk  upon  a  hill  for  a  convenient  prospect,"  and  accordingly  some  tourists  describe  this  hill  as  a  miniature 
resemblance  of  Mount  Tabor. 
II.— M 


114 


THE   VALLEY  OF  THE  BOYNE. 


for  its  Teaghmor,  or  "  Great  House,"  where,  down  to  the  middle  of 
the  sixth  century,  triennial  parliaments  of  the  kingdom  were  held  ;  for 
its  sumptuous  palace,  the  residence  of  a  long  and  illustrious  line  of 
monarchs  ;  and  for  its  college  of  learned  men,  where  the  arts  and 
sciences  were  cultivated  and  taught.  "  Aroused  by  the  enthusiasm  which 
the  very  names  inspire,"  writes  Sir  William  R.  Wilde,  "  we  might 
describe  at  length  the  royal  residences  which  once  crowned  this  sacred 
spot,  and  still  point  out  the  foundations  of  these  very  structures.  We 
might  recount  the  monarchs  who  reigned  here,  Belgic,  Scotic,  and 
Milesian,  from  the  days  of  Slaigne  and  Dagda  through  the  royal  line 
of  Temur  to  the  subversion  of  Paganism  and  the  introduction  of 
Christianity  into  Ireland.  We  might  describe  the  great  Feis  Team/track, 
or  assembly  of  the  chieftains  ;  and  while  we  hold  not  with  superstitious 
reverence  by  all  the  bardic  tales  and  poetic  legends  handed  down  to 
us  for  some  fifteen  centuries — except  so  far  as  they  accord  with  common 
sense,  or  are  borne  out  by  collateral  evidence — we  could  point  with 
pride  to  the  just  and  wise  laws  which  emanated  from  the  house  of 
Ollamh  Fodhla  ;  we  could  tell  of  Con,  the  warrior  of  the  hundred 
battles  ;  of  the  Druid  famed  for  sorcery  ;  the  Brehon,  wise  in  judgments  ; 
the  Bard  who  chronicled  in  wild  and  imaginative  song  the  half  fabulous 
events  of  a  semi-barbarous  age  ;  the  Kings  renowned  in  story — the 
Cormacs  and  Nialls,   and  Dathis  ;    but  now — 

"  '  No  more  to  chiefs  and  ladies  bright 
The  Harp  of  Tara  swells  ; 
The  chord  alone  that  breaks  at  night 
Its  tale  of  ruin  tells.' 

"  We  might,  by  merely  paraphrasing  the  translations  of  authentic 
Irish  history,  occupy  pages  in  recounting  the  deeds  of  Patrick,  when  he 
converted  the  Irish  monarch  and  the  whole  court  at  Tara.  We  might, 
even  now,  preach  with  the  sermons,  and  enliven  modern  Christianity 
with  the  hymns  of  our  patron  saint.  We  could  tell  of  the  cursing  of 
Temur,  by  St.  Ruadhan,  and  its  subsequent  desertion.  Or  again,  we 
might  trace  the  various  raths,  and  descant  upon  the  wells  and 
pillar-stones  which  consecrate  this  spot.  The  Lia  Fail,  or  Stone  of 
Destiny,  supposed  to  have  been   removed    to    Scone,  and    from  Scone 


THE  HILL  OF  TAR  A. 


115 


to  Westminster,*  but  which  is  still,  it  appears,  undoubtedly  at  Tara, 
would  in  itself  form  a  text  for  an  entire  chapter  upon  the  civil  history  of 
this  kingdom  ;  while  the  name  of  St.  Adamnan  is  a  fitting  proem  for  an 
hour's  dissertation  on  our  early  ecclesiastical  writings,  and  the  colonies 
which  sprung  from  this  Isle  of  Saints,  even  to  the  far-famed  Iona." 

Keating,  O'Halloran,  and  O'Flaherty,  whose  poetic  histories  abound 
with  florid  descriptions  of  the  grandeur  and  magnificence  of  the  royal 
residence  of  Teaghmor,  have  dwelt  with  tond  delight  upon  the  solem- 
nities of  the  periodical  parliaments,  at  which  the  kings  of  Leinster 
Ulster,  Munster.  and  Connaught  are  said  to  have  assisted,  in  conjunction 
with  the  toparchs,  dynasts,  bards  or  sennachies,  priests,  and  "  men  of 
learning,  distinguished  by  their  abilities  in  all  arts  and  professions,"  in 
framing  wise  ordinances  for  the  government  of  the  kingdom.  But,  alas  ! 
for  the  past  glory  of  Ireland,  there  remain  no  traces  now  of  these 
stately  palaces — not  a  vestige  exists  of  the  proud  halls  +  where  "chiefs 
and  ladies  bright  "  were  wont  to  assemble  ;  the  voice  of  the  bard  and 
the  notes  of  his  lyre  have  for  ages  been  hushed,  and,  as  Moore 
touchingly  sings — 

"  The  harp  that  once  through  Tara's  halls 
The  soul  of  music  shed, 
Now  hangs  as  mute  on  Tara's  walls 
As  if  that  soul  were  fled." 

Unfortunately,  however,  not  even  a  wall  has  been  left  on  which  a 
bard's  harp  or  antiquarian's  conjecture  might  be  hung.  The  remains 
of  a  few  circular  earthen  entrenchments  on  the  summit  of  a  lofty  green 
hill,  rising  from  the  centre  of  an  extensive  plain,  are  all  that  the  most 
curious  eye  can  now  discover  of  the  vanished  splendor  of  the  historic 
eminence. 

It  has  been  conjectured  that  the  Halls  ol  Tara  might  have  been 
constructed  of  less  durable  materials  than  stone,  with  a  considerable 
degree  of  elegance,  which  would  account  satisfactorily  for  the  non- 
existence of  any  ruins  :  and  when  we  recollect  that  King  John,  on 
his  arrival  in  Dublin,  lodged   in    a   palace    of   wattles,  or  wickerwork, 

*  Tradition  also  ascribes  the  coronation  stone  at  Westminster  to  have  been  that  upon  which  the  kings  of 
Munster  were  formerly  crowned  upon  the  Rock  of  CasheL    (See  VoL  I.,  p.  133.) 

f  A  deep  excavation,  presumed  to  have  been  the  site  of  the  Teach  ML-dhthuarta,  or  great  banqueting  hall, 
Aas  led  to  the  conclusion  that  that  apartment  was  360  feet  long  and  40  wide,  running  north  and  south.,  with 
sis  entrances  on  each  side. 


116 


\ 

THE    VALLEY  OE  THE  BOYNE. 


plastered  with  clay,  there  can  be  no  reasonable  grounds  for  rejecting 
the  hypothesis  with  respect  to  the  court  of  Teaghmor.  Hollinshed, 
though  he  disputes  the  accuracy  of  the  Irish  historians  in  their 
description  of  the  magnificence  of  this  palace,  admits  that  "  the  place 
seemeth  to  bear  the  show  of  an  ancient  and  famous  monument ; "  and 
thus  infers  that  some  memorial  of  its  grandeur  existed  in  his  time, 
viz.,  the  sixteenth  century.* 

Dr.  Petrie  is  of  opinion  that  Tara  became  the  residence  of  the 
Irish  kings  upon  the  first  establishment  of  a  monarchical  government 
under  Slanige,  ruler  of  the  Firbolgs  or  Belgae,  and  that  there  reigned 
136  Pagan  and  6  Christian  monarchs — or  142  in  all — up  to  565,  when 
upon  the  death  of  Dermot  it  was  abandoned  as  the  seat  of  monarchy 
in  consequence  of  a  curse  pronounced  by  St.  Ruadhan,  declaring  that 
"  noe  kinge  or  queene  ever  after  woulde  or  coulde  dwelle  in  Tarach, 
and  that  it  shoulde  be  wast  for  ever  without  courte  or  palasse."  The 
last  of  its  great  national  assemblies,  however,  took  place  in  554.  Tara 
was  subsequently,  in  980,  the  scene  of  a  signal  defeat  sustained  by  the 
Danes,  and  the  rallying  place  of  Roderic,  the  last  native  king,  previous  to 
attacking  the  English  in  Dublin.  Here,  too,  in  1589,  O'Niall  assembled 
his  troops  after  laying  waste  the  surrounding  country  ;  and  in  1798  it 
witnessed  an  encounter  between  some  troops  and  insurgents,  and  became 
the  burial  place  of  several  of  the  latter  on  what  is  now  known  as 
"  Croppy  Hill  ;  "  and  finally,  on  the  first  of  August,  1843,  O'Connell 
selected  Tara  as  the  place  for  one  of  his  monster  Repeal  meetings. 

Returning  to  the  Boyne,  and  following  its  course  from  Bective  to 
Navan,  a  distance  of  over  half  a  dozen  miles,   the  stream  flows  in  a 

*  Alfred,  King  of  the  Northumbrian  Saxons,  who,  according  to  Bede,  retired  to  Ireland  to  avoid  the  perse- 
cution of  his  brother,  about  the  year  685,  devoted  himself  while  in  exile  to  study,  and  composed  a  poem  in  the 
Irish  language,  describing  what  he  had  observed  in  various  parts  of  Ireland.  Speaking  of  the  palace  of 
Teaghmor,  he  says  : — 

"  I  found  in  the  great  fortress  of  Meath, 
Valor,  hospitality,  and  truth  ; 
Bravery,  purity,  and  mirth — 
The  protection  of  all  Ireland." 

It  must  be  considered  that  this  was  written  more  than  a  hundred  years  after  Tara  had  ceased  to  be  the 
residence  of  the  Irish  sovereigns  ;  and  it  may  here  be  added  that  during  its  zenith  so  sacred  was  the  place  held 
that  not  even  a  monarch  could  reside  there  if  he  had  a  personal  blemish,  in  proof  of  which  it  is  recorded  that 
Cormac,  the  Great  King,  held  his  court  at  Tara  until  his  eye  was  destroyed  by  Aengus,  when  he  was  obliged 
to  remove  to  Ceanannus  or  Kells. 


T 


HOLY  WELLS  AND  PATRONS.  117 

northerly  direction  through  a  highly-cultivated  district,  having  its  banks 
adorned  with  some  ancient  Norman  military  and  ecclesiastical  ruins,  and 
man\-  beautiful  country  seats,  principal  among  which  latter  is  that  ol 
Ardsallagh  House,  the  modern  Elizabethan  seat  of  the  Duke  of  Bedford. 
Within  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  mansion,  and  but  a  few  paces 
from  the  river,  is  the  Holy  Well  of  St.  Bridget,  with  its  pure  waters 
bubbling  up  amid  beautiful  foliage,  but  under  an  incongruous  modern 
arch  sadly  out  of  harmony  with  the  old  carved  head  of  St.  Bridget, 
with  its  plaited  hair  and  prim  formal  features,  the  very  impersonation 
of  a  mother  abbess. 

There  are  many  holy  wells  bordering  the  Boyne,  especially  near  its 
source,  and  pouring  their  waters  into  it  through  its  tributary  streams 
— the  river  itself  being  generally  believed  to  have  its  origin  in  Trinity 
Well,  near  the  Hill  of  Carbury.  We  mentioned  this  latter  well  at  the 
close  of  our  last  volume,  and  will  briefly  allude  to  the  others  now. 
Between  Trinity  Well  and  Clonard  are  those  of  Tober-Crogh-neeve,  or 
the  Holy  Cross,  once  highly  venerated,  but  now  neglected  ;  Toberaulin, 
the  Beautiful  or  Lady  Well,  a  fountain  dedicated  to  the  Blessed  Virgin, 
memorable  in  days  gone  by,  and,  like  Trinity  Well,  from  time  immemo- 
rial the  scene  of  a  celebrated  fair  and  Pattern  ;  as  well  as  Tobercro, 
Carbury  Well,  and  Tobernakill — six  crystal  fountains  for  the  baptism  of 
the  infant  Boyne.  Then,  in  its  course,  it  is  successively  succored  by  the 
waters  of  Tober  Finn  on  the  royal  Hill  of  Tara  ;  by  this  Well  of 
St.  Bridget  ;  and  lower  down  by  Tober  Padraig,  a  blessed  well  dedicated 
to  the  patron  saint  ;  while  the  Well  of  St.  Kieran,  near  Kells,  forwards 
its  contribution  through  the  Blackwater.  "  Thus,"  says  Wilde,  "  the  river 
is  doubly  consecrated,  not  only  by  the  ruins  of  sacred  edifices  which 
cluster  upon  its  banks,  but  through  the  waters  which  flow  into  it  from 
so  many  hallowed  springs." 

These  hallowed  springs,  like  the  other  holy  wells  of  Ireland,  were  in 
days  gone  by — most,  if  not  all  of  them — the  scenes  of  Patrons  (commonly 
called  Patterns),  so  named  from  being  celebrated  upon  the  festival  day 
of  the  respective  saints  to  whom  the  wells  are  dedicated.  But  the  days 
of  rounds  and  penance,  of  vows  and  votive  offerings,  of  charm  and 
miracle,  of  pilgrim  and  boccagh,  of  fun  and  frolic,  faction-fight  and 
whiskey — the  usual  attendants   of  the   celebrations — are  past  and  gone, 


118 


THE   VALLEY  OF  THE  BOYNE. 


except  in  some  few  places  where  they  are  still  carried  on  in  a  mitigated 
degree.  The  character  of  these  festivals,  and  the  causes  which  led  to 
their  suppression,  have  been  given  in  the  previous  volume  (page  63), 
and  it  is  therefore  unnecessary  to  repeat  the  story  here.  We  illustrate 
the  subject,  however,  by  a  Scene  at  a  Patron — sketched  by  Mr. 
Bartlett — in  the  mountain  region  of  Connemara,  on  the  top  of  a  plane, 
between  Maamturc  and  the  neighboring  height,  at  an  elevation  of  1200 
feet.  Nearly  every  holy  well — and  in  Ireland  their  name  is  legion — 
has  some  strange  traditionary  story  connected  with  it,  like  that  told  of 
Trinity  Well,  near  the  end  of  the  last  volume  ;  and  a  book  of  no  mean 
dimensions  might  be  filled  with  notices  of  their  hallowed  waters,  and 
the  medicinal  properties  and  mythic  tales  that  pertain  to  them. 

Immediately  before  reaching  Navan  the  river  sweeps  round  an 
eminence  surmounted  by  the  picturesque  ivy-covered  ruins  of  the  ancient 
castle  and  the  more  modern  mansion  of  Athlumney,  from  which  Sir 
William  Somerville,  Bart.,  Chief  Secretary  in  Ireland  from  1847  to  1852, 
took  the  title  of  Lord  Athlumney.  It  is  said  of  Sir  Launcelot  Dowdall, 
who  owned  the  estate  at  the  time  of  the  battle  of  the  Boyne,  that  upon 
learning  the  result  of  the  contest  he  set  fire  to  the  castle  in  order  to 
prevent  its  occupation  by  the  Prince  of  Orange.  Navan,  originally 
known  as  Nuachongbhail,  was  the  first  borough  established  in  this  part 
of  the  country  by  the  English,  and  was  once  protected  by  a  wall  ; 
yet  now,  though  a  place  of  4000  inhabitants,  it  possesses  little  of  interest 
to  detain  the  tourist. 

Far  more  interesting — especially  to  the  antiquarian — is  Kells,  a  town 
of  about  the  same  size,  pleasantly  situated  ten  miles  northwest  by  rail 
and  near  to  the  Blackwater — a  tributary  of  the  Boyne — which  has  its 
source  some  miles  higher  up  in  Lough  Ramor,  and  falls  into  the  Boyne 
at  Navan.  This  place  is  believed  to  owe  its  origin  to  King  Fiacha 
Finnailches  a  few  years  prior  to  the  Christian  era,  and,  as  Ceanannus, 
was  in  550  the  residence  of  St.  Columb,  who  founded  in  it  a  monastery, 
of  which,  however,  no  traces  remain.  In  the  town,  however,  is  still  to 
be  seen  the  Saint's  house,  a  high-roofed  building  of  the  same  class  as 
that  of  Saint  Kevin's  at  Glendalough,  having  in  one  compartment  a  flat 
stone  six  feet  long  by  one  foot  thick,  said  to  have  been  the  ecclesiastic's 
penitential    bed.      St.   Columb,    Columbkille,  or    Columba,  was   born  in 


KELLS  AND  ST.  COLUMB. 


119 


Ireland  in  the  year  521  of  a  royal  race,  being  a  lineal  descendant  in 
the  fourth  generation  from  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages.  He  is  said  to 
have  founded  300  monasteries  in  Ireland,  after  which  he  proceeded  to 
Britain,  where  he  obtained  a  grant  of  the  Island  of  Iona  on  the  west 
of  Scotland,  and  established  those  religious  edifices  for  the  ruins  of  which 
the  island  is  now  chiefly  interesting.  Kells  also  lays  claim  to  several 
ancient  crosses — the  principal  being  in  the  market  place  opposite  to 
where  once  stood  a  castle,  erected  in  1 1 78  by  Walter  DeLacy.  Lord 
of  Meath — and  a  Round  Tower  90  feet  high,  with  conical  summit  and 
the  usual  four  windows  near  the  top,  and  doorway  ten  feet  above  the 
ground  ;  as  well  as  to  an  ancient  square  bell  tower  surmounted  by  a 
spire  and  standing  apart  from  the  modern  church.  The  history  of 
Kells  is  no  exception  to  that  of  Irish  towns  of  like  character,  and 
exhibits  the  place  as  having  sustained  great  losses  at  the  hands  of  the 
native  Irish,  Norwegian,  and  Danish  freebooters,  its  two  greatest 
catastrophes  being  the  destruction  of  the  abbey  in  1019  by  Sitric, 
and  the  burning  of  the  town  by  Edward  Bruce  in  1 3 1 5.  That  the 
place  in  the  past  was  as  noted  for  its  learning  as  for  its  sanctity  is 
proven  in  the  illuminated  Book  of  Kells,  now  in  the  library  of  Trinity 
College,  Dublin,  which  gives  a  notable  view  of  ancient  national  pecu- 
liarities, and  is  a  remarkable  example  of  elaborate  ornamentation. 
Adjoining  Kells  is  the  Hill  of  Lloyd,  422  feet  high,  surmounted  by  a 
pillar  upwards  of  100  feet  in  height,  erected  by  the  first  Earl  of 
Bective,  and  presenting  from  its  summit  an  extensive  view  of  the 
valleys  of  the  Blackwater  and  the  Boyne  and  the  adjacent  country. 

Midway  between  Kells  and  Navan  stands  the  green  Hill  of  Telton, 
rising  gradually  from  the  margin  of  the  Blackwater  to  a  height  of 
about  300  feet.  It  is  one  of  the  most  celebrated  spots  in  Ireland,  and 
perhaps,  next  to  Tara,  the  most  ancient  and  notable.  It  was  the  site 
of  the  palace  of  Tailtean  (whence  the  name),  one  of  the  four  royal 
residences  in  Ireland,  and  for  many  centuries  the  scene  of  a  great 
fair  established  in  the  year  of  the  world  3370,  in  the  reign  of  Lugh 
Lamhfada,  in  remembrance  of  his  foster  mother,  Tailte,  the  daughter 
of  Maghmor,  King  of  Spain,  and  the  wife  of  Eochaidh,  son  of  Ere, 
the  last  king  of  the  Firbolgs.  This  fair,  which  continued  until  the 
time  of  Roderic  O'Connor,  the  last  king  of  Ireland,  was  held  annually 


120 


THE    VALLEY  OF  THE  BOYNE. 


on  the  first  of  August,  that  month  thereby  obtaining  in  the  Irish 
language  the  name  of  Lugh-nasadh,  or  Lughs  fair ;  and  its  principal 
observances  consisted  of  boxing,  wrestling,  chariot  racing,  theatrical 
exhibitions,  sham  battles,  and  aquatic  contests  upon  artificial  lakes.  Its 
most  remarkable  ceremony,  however,  was  of  a  matrimonial  character, 
and  consisted  of  an  exhibition  of  marriageable  young  men  and  maidens, 
who,  after  being  given  an  opportunity  of  inspecting  one  another  at  a  safe 
distance,  were  marched  on  either  side  of  a  high  wall  having  a  door 
with  a  small  aperture,  through  which  latter  each  young  lady  in  turn 
passed  her  middle  finger  for  the  approval  of  the  young  men  on  the 
other  side,  and  if  any  admired  and  laid  hold  of  it  the  owner  became 
his  bride.  As  the  prizes  drawn  in  this  lottery  were  naturally  in  some 
cases  worse  than  blanks,  it  was  fortunate  for  the  contracting  parties  that 
they  were  enabled  on  the  succeeding  fair  day  to  publicly  turn  their 
backs  upon  each  other  and  enter  anew  into  the  hazardous  pursuit  of 
happiness,  which  gave  a  "  Telton  marriage  "  a  proverbial  significance  not 
yet  obsolete  in  Meath.  An  irregularity  of  surface  is  all  that  is  left  to 
mark  the  site  of  the  ancient  city  ;  and,  like  the  neighboring  Hill  of 
Tara,  the  most  attractive  feature  that  the  height  of  Telton  presents  to 
the  eye  of  the  stranger  is  the    magnificent  prospect  it  commands. 

Following  the  course  of  the  Boyne  from  Navan  for  a  mile  and  a 
half,  the  Round  Tower  and  Church  of  Donaghmore  is  reached.  The 
name  comes  from  Domnagh  Mor,  or  Great  Church,  that  founded  here 
having  been  in  early  Christian  days  much  venerated,  owing  to  the 
sanctity  of  St.  Cassanus,  to  whose  care  the  original  edifice  was  confided 
by  St.  Patrick.  The  present  ruined  structure,  however,  is  of  later  date, 
having  been  erected  in  the  thirteenth  century  by  the  Anglo-Norman 
settlers.  The  Round  Tower  resembles  that  at  Kells,  and  is  100  feet 
in  height,  and  66  in  circumference  at  the  base  ;  but  the  summit  has 
been  repaired  and  does  not  now  possess  the  conical  top  nor  the  upper 
windows  so  peculiar  to  these  towers.  The  doorway  is  12  feet  above 
the  ground,  and  has  on  its  keystone  a  sculptured  figure  of  the 
Saviour  crucified,  which  Dr.  Petrie — who  attributes  the  tower  to  the 
ninth  or  tenth  century — considers  to  be  a  decided  proof  of  its  Christian 
origin,  while  others,  believers  in  the  Pagan  theory,  assert  the  doorway 
to  be  an  afterwork. 


FROM  XAVAX  TO  SLAXE. 


121 


The  river  Boyne  descends  several  rapids  between  Xavan  and  its 
mouth,  and  is  intercepted  by  many  weirs  ;  but  it  is  rendered  navigable  by 
means  of  some  short  lateral  canals,  as  far  up  as  the  former  place.  The 
stream  is  considered  by  Sir  William  R.  Wilde  to  strongly  resemble  the 
Dutch  canals  in  some  of  these  parts ;  while  at  Dunmoe,  three  miles 
below  Xavan,  he  savs,  "  the  true  beauties  of  the  Bovne.  its  real  Rhine- 
like  characters,  commence,  and  crowd  upon  us  for  the  next  few  miles  of 
its  course.  High  beetling  crags,  crowned  by  feudal  halls  and  ruined 
chapels — steep,  precipitous  banks,  covered  with  the  noblest  monarchs  of 
the  forest — dells,  consecrated  to  the  moonlight  dance  of  sprites  and  elfins, 
and  rocks,  memorable  for  their  tales  of  love,  and  legends  of  the  olden 
time,  catch  the  eve  at  even-  turn."  Dunmoe  is  an  Ansflo-Xorman 
fortress  of  the  sixteenth  century,  that  commanded  a  ford  of  the  river, 
and  was  subjected  to  many  hard  knocks  from  opposing  forces  during  the 
troublous  times  of  that  and  the  succeeding  century.  It  is  now  but  a  heap 
of  ruins.  Three  miles  lower  down  is  the  ivy-clad  Castle  Dexter,  whose 
crumbling  walls,  indicative  of  the  times  of  feudal  rule  and  massive 
defensive  architecture,  strikingly  contrast  with  the  peaceful  characteristics 
of  its  light  domestic  neighbor  of  more  modern  date,  Beauparc  House,  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  embowered  in  a  leafy  forest  of  tall  pines, 
sycamores,  oaks,  and  elms. 

Two  miles  further  on  is  the  pretty  little  town  of  Slane.  Fearta-fear- 
feig.  the  residence  and  burial  place  of  King  Slanius,  having,  on  its  high 
river  bank.  Slane  Castle,  the  modern  residence  of  the  Marquis  of 
Conyngham.  On  a  hill,  overlooking  the  town,  are  the  ruins  of  the 
church  and  monastery,  commanding  a  magnificent  prospect  of  the  whole 
course  of  the  Boyne  (which  here  forms  a  bend)  from  Trim  to  Drogheda, 
with  the  classic  Hill  of  Tara.  and  the  mounds  that  mark  the  burial  place 
of  the  kin^s.  The  remains  of  the  church  or  abbev  consist  mainly  of  a 
noble  tower,  which  must  have  formed  part  of  the  edifice  as  restored  by 
Sir  Christopher  Fleming  in  15 12.  The  first  religious  establishments  must 
have  been  erected  at  an  early  date,  as  it  is  recorded  that  in  948  the 
cloictfuack  or  Round  Tower  of  Slane  was  burned  by  the  Danes,  together 
with  the  crozier  and  the  bells ;  and  that  in  the  seventh  century, 
Dagobert,  King  of  Austrasia  (part  of  France)  was  educated  at  this  place 
in  an  establishment  of  canons  regular.  On  the  shore  of  the  river  lie  the 
n-ts 


122 


THE    VALLEY  OF  THE  BOYNE. 


ruins  of  the  hermitage  of  St.  Ere,  the  first  Bishop  of  Slane,  said  to  have 
been  consecrated  by  St.  Patrick,  and  whose  piety  is  asserted  to  have 
been  so  great  that  "  his  custom  was  to  remain  immersed  in  the  Boinn  up 
to  his  two  armpits  from  morning  till  evening,  having  his  Psalter  before 
him  on  the  strand,  and  constantly  engaged  in  prayer."  * 

The  district  extending  for  over  three  miles  along  the  left  bank  of 
the  Boyne,  commencing  a  mile  and  a  half  below  Slane,  and  occupying 
a  space  of  about  a  mile  in  breadth  was  the  Brugh-na-Boinne,  the 
Royal  Cemetery  of  the  Boyne,  the  great  burying  ground  of  the  Kings 
of  Tara,  which  Wilde  says,  consists  of  "  a  series  of  raised  mounds, 
raths,  forts,  caves,  circles,  and  pillar  stones,  bearing  all  the  evidence 
of  ancient  Pagan  sepulchral  monuments,  which,  there  can  now  be  little 
doubt,  was  the  Irish  Memphis,  or  city  of  tombs."  And,  he  adds, 
it  contains  within  its  area  "  no  less  than  17  sepulchral  barrows  ;  some 
of  these,  the  smaller  ones,  situated  in  the  green  pasture  lands  which 
form  the  immediate  valley  of  the  Boyne,  while  the  three  of  greatest 
magnitude  (Dowth,  Knowth,  and  New  Grange)  are  placed  on  the 
summit  of  the  ridge  which  bounds  the  valley  on  the  left  bank,  making 
upwards  of  20  in  all,  including  the  remains  at  Cloghalea,  and  the 
great  moat  in  which  the  fortress  of  Drogheda  now  stands,  and  known 
in  the  annals  as  the  mound  of  the  grave  of  the  wife  of  Gobhan."  f 

*  It  is  stated  that  the  first  remarkable  conversions  made  by  St.  Patrick  in  Ireland  were  at  Slane, 
at  Easter,  433.  On  the  Thursday  previous,  we  read,  as  abridged  by  Dr.  Lanigan,  from  the  Lives  of 
the  Saints  :  "  Having  got  a  tent  pitched  there,  he  made  preparations  for  celebrating  the  festival  of 
Easter,  and  accordingly  lighted  the  paschal  fire  about  nightfall.  It  happened  that,  at  this  very  time, 
the  King  Loeghaire  and  the  assembled  princes  were  celebrating  a  religious  festival,  of  which  fire  worship 
fotmed  a  part.  There  was  a  standing  law  that,  at  the  time  of  this  festival,  no  fire  should  be  kindled 
for  a  considerable  distance  all  around  until  after  a  great  fire  should  be  lighted  in  the  royal  palace  of 
Temorah,  or  Tara.  St.  Patrick's  fire  was,  however,  lighted  before  that  of  the  palace,  and,  being  seen 
from  the  heights  of  Tara,  excited  great  astonishment.  On  the  king's  inquiring  what  could  be  the  cause 
of  it,  and  who  could  thus  dare  to  infringe  the  law,  the  magi  told  him  that  it  was  necessary  to  have 
that  fire  extinguished  immediately,  whereas,  if  allowed  to  remain,  it  would  get  the  better  of  their  fires, 
and  bring  about  the  downfall  of  his  kingdom.  Loeghaire,  enraged  and  troubled  on  getting  this  informa- 
tion, set  out  for  Slane  with  a  considerable  number  of  followers,  and  one  or  two  of  the  principal  magi, 
for  the  purpose  of  exterminating  thoee  violators  of  the  law.  When  arrived  within  some  distance  from 
where  the  tent  was  they  sat  down,  and  St.  Patrick  was  sent  for,  with  an  order  to  appear  before  the 
king,  and  give  an  account  of  his  conduct.  It  was  arranged  that  no  one  should  show  him  any  mark  of 
respect,  or  rise  up  to  receive  him  ;  but,  on  his  presenting  himself  before  them,  Horc,  son  of  Dego, 
disobeyed  the  injunction,  and,  standing  up,  saluted  him,  and,  receiving  the  saint's  blessing,  became  a 
believer."     The  subsequent  preachings  of  St.   Patrick  at  Tara  are  set  forth  in   the  Lives  of  the  Saints. 

\  An  ancient  Irish  MS.,  translated  by  Dr.  Petrie,  relates  that  "  Cormac,  King  of  Tara,  having  come 
to  his  death  by  the  bone  of  a  salmon  sticking  in  his  throat,  desired  his  people  not  to  bury  him  at 
Brugh  (because  it  was  a  cemetery  of  idolaters),  but  at  Ros-na-righ,  with  his  face  to  the  east.  His 
servants,  however,  came  to  the  resolution  to  bury  him  at  Brugh,  but  the  Boyne  swelled  up  three 
times    so  that  they  could  not  cross." 


TUMULI  AT  BR  U GH-NA-BOTNNE. 


123 


It  is  recorded  in  the  "  Four  Masters "  that  some  of  these  mounds 
were  plundered,  in  860,  by  the  Danes,  of  the  valuable  treasures  and 
human  remains  that  were  buried  in  them,  which  will  probably  account 
for  little  being  found  beyond  bare  walls  at  New  Grange  and  Dowth, 
the  two  of  the  three  gigantic  mausoleums  that  have  been  explored. 
The  first  and  most  important  research  was  that  made  at  the  former 
in  1699,  resulting  from  the  removal  of  some  stones  at  the  bottom  of 
the  mound  for  the  purpose  of  repairing  the  road,  when  a  rudely- 
carved  stone  was  disclosed,  and  excavations  made  which  led  to  the 
discovery  of  internal  passages  and  chambers,  and  stone  basins,  and 
many  mementoes  of  the  past  in  the  shape  of  rude  carvings.  Some 
few  articles  of  treasure  have  since  been  dug  up,  and  a  few  Roman 
coins,  which  indicate  the  formation  of  the  tumuli  to  have  been  of 
a  date  shortly  anterior  to  400  A.D.  The  dimensions  of  this,  the 
largest  of  the  mounds,  are,  according  to  Fergusson,  210  by  315  feet 
in  diameter  at  the  junction  with  the  natural  hill  on  which  it  stands, 
and  70  feet  in  height  made  up  of  14  feet  for  the  slope  of  the  hill 
to  the  floor  of  the  central  chamber,  and  56  feet  above  it,  with  the 
angle  of  external  slope  apparently  about  35  degrees,  and  the  platform 
on  the  summit  120  feet  across.  The  passage  to  the  interior  is  58 
feet  long,  and  in  some  parts  so  low  and  narrow  as  to  be  difficult  of 
access.  The  central  chamber  is  an  irregular  circle,  of  beehive  shape, 
of  about  22  feet  in  diameter,  and  20  feet  in  height,  and  has  recesses 
on  each  side  and  opposite  the  entrance  for  the  reception  of  stone 
urns,  or  bowls.  These  recesses,  with  the  entrance,  make  the  ground 
plan  cruciform  in  shape.  Both  the  passage  and  chamber  are  constructed 
of  stones  of  immense  size,  some  of  which  have  evidently  been 
brought  from  a  distance.  A  circle  of  enormous  detached  blocks  of 
stone,  some  of  which  still  remain,  appears  to  have  originally  stood 
ten  yards  apart,  at  a  distance  of  a  few  yards  from  the  margin  of  the 
mound.  It  is  impossible  now  to  learn  to  what  uses  this  extraordinary 
structure  was  devoted  by  its  pagan  builders  ;  but  it  is  conjectured 
that  it  was  employed  by  the  druids  either  as  a  place  for  the 
celebration  of  their  mysterious  rites,  or  for  human  sacrifice,  or,  perhaps, 
for  sepulture.  The  base  of  this  mound  occupies  an  area  of  about 
an  acre,  and  the  three  larger  tumuli  are  about  a  mile  apart. 


124 


THE    VALLEY  OF  THE  BOYNE. 


As  the  Boyne  approaches  Drogheda  its  valley  becomes  quite  beautiful, 
and  its  banks,  though  in  some  places  precipitous,  are  adorned  with  leafy 
woodlands  and  stately  residences.  Not  far  from  the  confluence  of  the 
Mattock  and  the  Boyne,  near  Oldbridge,  and  about  a  mile  from  Drog- 
heda, is  the  scene  of  that  momentous  conflict  of  July  ist,  1690,  to  which 
the  latter  and  larger  stream  has  given  a  name,  and  of  which  an  obelisk 
marks  the  particular  point  where  the  strife  proved  to  be  the  hottest. 
It  is  not  our  desire  to  fight  the  battle  over  again  in  these  pages. 
Moore  has  told  us  that — 

"  As  vanquished  Erin  wept  beside 
The  Boyne's  ill-fated  river, 
She  saw  where  Discord,  in  the  tide, 
Had  dropped  his  loaded  quiver." 

But,  notwithstanding  the  conclusions  of  the  poet,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that 
the  time  is  at  hand  when  the  "  venomed  darts "  may  be  allowed  to  lie 
buried  under  the  waters  of  the  stream,  and  the  demon  of  strife  be  no 
longer  permitted  to  dive  into  them,  and  bring  "  triumphant,  from  beneath, 
his  shafts  of  desolation ; "  and  that  the  bitter  animosities  of  party  spirit 
be  supplanted  by  nobler  feelings  of  fraternal  peace  and  good-will. 

East  of  its  confluence  with  the  Mattock,  the  Boyne  is  bordered  on 
the  north  by  Louth,  the  smallest  of  the  Irish  counties,  if  we  may  except 
the  town  and  territory  of  Drogheda,  which  constitute  under  the  charter 
of  Henry  IV.  a  separate  county,  situate  between  Louth  and  Meath,  but 
quite  distinct  from  both.  This  town  lies  upon  both  banks  of  the  Boyne, 
with  the  main  portion  on  the  north,  at  about  four  miles  from  its  mouth. 
It  possesses  a  good  harbor,  which  has  been  so  much  improved  of 
late  that,  coupled  with  its  position  directly  opposite  Liverpool,  the 
result  has  been  a  great  increase  in  the  commerce  of  the  port. 
Drogheda  lies  32  miles  north  of  Dublin  by  the  railway,  which  crosses 
its  harbor  upon  an  extremely  handsome  and  lofty  viaduct  and  lattice 
bridge  designed  by  Sir  John   McNeill,   C.  E. 

Drogheda  {Droched-atha,  the  "  Bridge  of  the  Ford")  is  a  place  of 
ecclesiastical  antiquity,  its  ruined  abbey  of  St.  Mary  D'Urso  having 
been,  it  is  believed,  founded  by  St.  Patrick,  and  later  the  temporary 
residence  of  St.  Columb ;  while  the  town  filled  an  important  place  in 
political    history    from    1220,   when    Henry  III.  retained    it    in  his  own 


THE  TOWN  OF  DROGHEDA. 


125 


possession,  with  the  castle,  in  the  renewed  grant  of  Meath  made  to 
Walter  DeLacy,  down  to  the  eventful  battle  of  the  Boyne,  the  last 
conflict  in  which  British  sovereigns  confronted  each  other  in  the 
field.  The  leading  events  occurring  between  these  were  the  holding 
in  it  of  several  parliaments,  its  successful  defense  in  1641  against  Sir 
Phelim  O'Neill  under  Sir  Henry  Tichborne  and  Lord  Moore,  and 
again  for  a  time  in  1649,  under  Sir  Arthur  Aston,  against  Cromwell, 
who  here  commenced  his  bloody  career  in  Ireland,  and  eventually  took 
the  place  by  storm,  committing  atrocities  of  the  most  inhuman  and 
ferocious  character  upon  its  brave  defenders. 

The  walls  of  the  town,  portions  of  which  still  remain,  were  about  one 
and  a  half  miles  in  circumference,  and  entered  by  ten  gates,  of  which 
two,  with  protecting  towers,  still  remain  in  whole  or  in  part.  In 
addition  to  this,  and  the  ruins  of  the  abbey,  the  remnants  of 
antiquity  consist  of  the  fine  Magdalene  steeple  of  the  Dominican  or 
Monastery  of  Preaching  Friars,  founded  in  1224  by  an  archbishop  of 
Armagh,  and  the  place  where  in  1394  Richard  II.  received  the  sub- 
mission of  O'Neill,  Prince  of  Ulster,  and  his  subordinate  chieftains  ; 
the  Tholsel,  surmounted  by  a  cupola  ;  St.  Mary's  church,  formerly 
devoted  to  the  use  of  the  Carmelites  ;  and  the  mount,  now  crowned 
by  a  martello  tower  commanding  the  town,  formerly  the  grave  of  the 
wife  of  Gobhan,  the  smith,  and  recorded  to  have  been  robbed  by  the 
Danes  of  its  contents  in  the  ninth  century.  The  borough  returns 
one  member  to  the  British  Parliament,  and  at  the  last  census  (1871) 
contained  a  population  of  14,389. 

It  is  an  interesting  drive  from  Drogheda  to  Mellifont  and  Monas- 
terboice,  the  former  on  the  banks  of  the  Mattock,  and  the  latter  two 
miles  to  its  northeast,  and  five  from  the  town,  for  the  two  places 
abound  in  important  archaeological  remains,  consisting  of  ancient 
churches,  magnificent  sculptured  crosses,  a  Round  Tower,  and  an 
octagon  church,  or  baptistry.  At  Mellifont,  in  1142,  was  founded  the 
first  Cistercian  monastery  ever  established  in  Ireland,  and  in  1 1 5 7  was 
held  a  synod,  at  which  the  King  of  Ullidia,  the  Prince  of  Breffni, 
and  the  Prince  of  Orgiel  assisted.  Its  remains  consist  of  portions  of 
a  singular  octagon  baptistry,  of  St.  Bernard's  Chapel,  and  of  some 
dungeons,    in    one     of    which    is    said     to     have    closed    her  career 


126 


THE  VALLEY  OF  THE  BOYNE. 


Dervorgoil,  "  whose  abduction  by  Dermod  MacMorrough,  King  of 
Leinster,  led  to  the  introduction  into  Ireland  of  the  English  under 
Strongbow."  Monasterboice  derives  its  name  from  St.  Buithe,  the  son  of 
Bronnagh,  who  founded  a  religious  establishment  there  about  the  end  of 
the  fifth  century,  and  now  presents  the  ruins  of  two  churches,  the  later 
of  which  evidently  dates  from  the  thirteenth  century,  three  crosses,  and  a 
Round  Tower.  Two  of  the  crosses  are  considered  to  be  the  finest 
specimens  of  the  kind  in  Ireland,  the  largest  being  27  feet  high,  and 
composed  of  three  stones,  of  which  that  constituting  the  shaft  is 
highly  sculptured.  Kohl,  upon  noticing  that  one  of  its  compartments 
represented  "  a  couple  of  harpers  in  Paradise,"  arrived  at  the  conclu- 
sion that  "  no  Irishman  of  the  olden  time  would  have  thought 
Paradise  complete  without  his  beloved  national  instrument."  An 
inscription  at  the  base  of  this  cross  attributes  its  erection  to  Muire- 
dach,  King  of  Ireland,  supposed  to  be  the  last  of  the  two  of  that 
name,  who  died  in  924.  The  leading  feature  of  Monasterboice, 
however,  is  the  Round  Tower,  51  feet  in  circumference  at  the  base, 
and  gradually  diminishing  to  its  present  summit,  90  feet  in  height, 
its  original  apex  having  been  destroyed  by  lightning.  It  has  a 
doorway  six  feet  from  the  ground.  Many  of  the  abbots  of  the 
monastery  established  here  were  highly  distinguished,  and  made  their 
names  famous  in  Irish  history.  Most  celebrated  amongst  them  was 
Flann,  who  died  in  1056,  and  was  the  last  great  authority  in  matters 
connected  with  early  Irish  history,  poetry  and  eloquence.  Many  Irish 
poems  are  ascribed  to  him,  but  his  most  notable  work  is  his 
Synchronisms  of  the  Irish  kings,  the  Oriental  and  Roman  emperors, 
the  provincial  and  national  rulers  of  Ireland,  and  the  Scottish  kings 
of  Irish  descent. 


DUNDALK  AND  EDWARD  BRUCE.  127 


CHAPTER  VII. 
THE  MOURNE  MOUNTAINS  AND  ARMAGH. 

Dunleer  and  its  Sovereign — Dundalk  and  the  last  King  of  Ireland — Greenore  and  Grcencastle — 
Carlingford — Magnificent  Scenery — Monument  to  General  Ross — Carlingford  Bay — Beauti- 
ful Ross- Trevor — Slieve  Ban  and  Cloughmore — Kingdom  of  Mourne — Kilkeel — Slieve 
Donard — Newcastle — Dundrum — Downpatrick,  the  last  resting  place  of  the  patron  saint — 
Mountain  seats  and  villages — Rathfriland — Warrenpoi?it — Narrow  Water  Castle — Newry  and 
its  associations — Armagh  and  its  ecclesiastical  renown — The  modern  archiepiscopal  city — Porta- 
down,  Lurgan,  and  Lismore — Approach  to  Belfast. 

THOUGH  the  railway  between  Drogheda  and  Dundalk  passes  for  22 
miles  through  a  well-cultivated  but  unpicturesque  country,  it  presents 
distant  views  of  the  Mourne  mountains  and  the  hilly  district  around 
Carlingford  Bay,  whither  we  were  next  bound.  On  our  way  we  had  a 
glimpse  of  the  little  town  of  Dunleer,  only  noticeable  for  its  having 
possessed  the  privilege  granted  by  Charles  II.  of  electing  a  sovereign,  the 
title  once  applied  to  the  chief  magistrate  of  many  Irish  corporate  towns, 
but  of  which  honor  it  has  not  availed  itself  since  181 1. 

Dundalk,  Dun-dealgan,  lies  in  the  northern  part  of  the  county  of 
Louth,  *  of  which  it  is  the  principal  town,  and  a  thriving  modern  place 
at  the  head  of  a  magnificent  bay.  Still  it  possesses  an  important 
past  history,  for  near  it  is  the  last  place  in  Ireland  where  a 
king  was  crowned.  The  occasion  was  the  conferring,  in  1 3 1 5,  of 
the  royal  dignity  upon  Edward  Bruce  after  he  arrived  with  his 
followers  upon  the  invitation  of  the  Irish  to  aid  in  the  acquisition  of 
that  independence  which  his  brother  Robert  had  obtained  for  Scotland 

*  The  deserted  little  town  of  Louth,  from  which  the  county  obtains  its  name,  lies  half  a  dozen  miles 
southwest  of  Dundalk.  It  was,  however,  once  the  seat  of  a  celebrated  ecclesiastical  establishment  founded 
by  St.  Patrick,  wherein  100  bishops  and  300  presbyters  were  educated.  Extensive  remains  of  the  ancient 
abbey  occupy  the  site  of  the  original  monastery. 


128 


THE  MOURNE  MOUNTAINS  AND  ARMAGH. 


at  Bannockburn.  Edward  Bruce  had,  however,  to  storm  and  burn 
Dundalk  before  he  could  enter  it,  and,  after  residing  in  it  for  two 
years  and  fighting  his  way  into  other  parts  of  Ireland,  fell,  in  131 8, 
on  the  hill  of  Foighard,  near  the  town,  in  an  engagement  with  the 
English.  Dundalk  was  held  for  a  time,  in  1649,  by  Monk,  for 
Charles  I.,  but  surrendered  to  Cromwell  ;  and,  in  1689,  for  James  II., 
but  was  taken  without  resistance  by  Schomberg.  Of  the  fortifications 
built  in  the  reign  of  Henry  IV.  there  are  but  few  remains.  It 
possesses,  however,  an  old,  ivy-covered  parish  church,  and  a  very 
handsome,  modern  Roman  Catholic  Cathedral,  erected  after  the  style 
of  King's  College  Chapel,  Cambridge,  and  forming  the  metropolitan 
church  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Archbishop  of  Armagh,  who  resides  in 
Dundalk.  Its  population,  in  1871,  was  10,360,  and  it  returns  one 
member  to  the  British  Parliament. 

At  Dundalk  there  is  a  fork  in  the  Great  Northern  Railway,  the 
trunk  line  continuing  northwardly  through  Newry  to  Belfast,  while  the 
branch  trends  northwesterly  to  Enniskillen  and  Londonderry.  As  our 
route,  however,  included  Carlingford  Bay,  or  Lough,  and  the  Mourne 
Mountains,  we  took  a  diverging  short  eastern  line  to  Greenore,  near 
the  mouth  of  the  bay,  between  which  and  Holyhead  there  is  a  daily 
line  of  steam  packets.  Greenore,  but  14  miles  from  Dundalk,  is  a 
modern  steam  packet  station,  with  a  spacious  quay,  to  which  it  is 
proposed  to  add  a  dock  of  considerable  size,  and  accessible  at  all 
states  of  the  tide.  A  ferry  carries  passengers  across  the  mouth  of 
the  bay  to  Greencastle,  at  the  northern  end  of  a  small  peninsula  that 
juts  out  into  the  lough,  and  evidently  once  a  place  of  strategetic 
importance,  as  the  remains  of  an  Anglo-Norman  fortress  amply  testify. 
Traveling  upon  a  railway  skirting  the  southwestern  shore  of  the  bay, 
and  connecting  Greenore  pier  with  Newry  and  the  north  of  Ireland, 
we  were  very  soon  dropped  at  the  town  of  Carlingford  which  has 
given  its  name  not  only  to  the  inlet  whereon  it  stands,  but  to  some 
highly-approved  members  of  the  oyster  family  which,  after  being  caught 
and  fattened  in  their  beds  in  the  bay,  travel  to  all  parts  of  the  United 
Kingdom  to  be  tucked  in.  But,  aesthetic  reader,  tempting  as  these 
luscious  bivalves  may  be,  you  could  hardly  touch  them  upon  your 
arrival   until    you    had  fully  feasted  upon  the  spectacle  nature  presents 


SCENERY  AROUND  CARLINGFORD. 


129 


to  you  at  this  spot,  for,  perchance  it  were  a  balmy  summer  evening, 
you  would  ascend  the  Carlingford  Mountain,  Slieve  Foy,  rising  to  the 
height  of  1935  feet  on  the  west  of  the  town,  and  then,  seated  upon 
one  of  its  castellated  cliffs,  to  employ  the  language  of  the  Rev. 
Caesar  Otway,  "  looking  westward  and  northward  you  would  enjoy  a 
prospect  which,  if  you  pretended  to  taste,  would  cause  you  to  cry 
out  '  Magnificent  ! '  but  if  you  really  possessed  it,  would  make  you 
hold  your  tongue  and  be  all  eyes.  Under  you  the  noble,  land-locked 
bay  ;  before  you — and  a  few  miles  across  the  water,  a  distance  which, 
owing  to  the  translucency  of  the  atmosphere  peculiar  to  the  western 
wind,  is  only  calculated  to  make  objects  more  softly  picturesque — yes, 
before  you  is  the  loveliest  village  in  Ireland — Ross-Trevor;  its  cottages 
embosomed  in  trees,  its  sunlit  villas,  its  pretty  church,  and  its  obelisk,* 
(or  Monument  to  General  Ross).  Then  above  the  village,  the  wood- 
covered  hills,  swelling  upwards  until  the  green  slopes  mingle  in  the 
dark  gorges  of  the  Mourne  Mountains,  over  which  Slieve  Donard  rises 
as  lord  of  the  range,  in  pyramidal  majesty.  The  westering  sun  is 
gilding  its  crest ;  a  feathery  cloud,  all  on  fire  with  the  sun's  rays,  has 
rested  on  its  topmost  peak  and  turbaned  it  with  glory.  Eastward,  the 
mountain  passes  of  shade  are  flung  upon  the  sleeping  sea.  O,  for  such 
a  splendid  scene,  happy  season,  and  felicitous  atmosphere  !  It  would 
almost  be  well  to  be  a  Carlingford  fisherman,  or  even  a  Carlingford 
oyster,  provided  that,  as  an  oyster,  one  could  see  through  the  sea  and 
be  susceptible  of  the  picturesque,  without  the  consciousness  of  being 
liable  to  be  dredged  for  and  gobbled  up  by  voracious  Dublinians." 
We  might  extend  the  canvas  further  to  the  west  and  to  the  south- 
west, and  cover  it  by  the  mountains  of  Louth  and  Armagh  and  the 
cultivated  lands  that  form  their  footstools ;  but  we  fear  that  if  we 
were  to  do  so  we  should  satiate  and  weary  the  mind's  eye,  and  so 
desist. 

The  little  town  of  Carlingford  is  romantically  situated  on  a  nook  of 
the  bay,  and  though  now  containing  but  from    700  to  800  souls,  was 

*  The  obelisk  or  monument  stands  near  the  borders  of  the  bay,  a  short  distance  from  Ross  -Trevor,  and  is 
a  lofty  pillar  of  cut  granite,  upon  a  pedestal  of  the  same  material,  raised  upon  a  number  of  steps.  It  was 
erected  in  1826  to  the  memory  of  Major  General  Robert  Ross,  who  fought  in  the  Peninsular  and  second 
American  wars,  and  fell  at  Baltimore,  Maryland,  in  1814.  Other  memorials  to  the  same  gallant  officer  are 
erected  in  the  church  at  Ross-Trevor,  in  St.  Paul's  Cathedral,  and  over  his  grave  at  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia. 
11—46 


130 


THE  MO  URN E  MOUNTAINS  AND  ARMAGH. 


a  place  of  such  note  during  and  subsequent  to  the  Anglo-Norman 
invasion,  that  it  received  charters  from  Edward  II.,  Henry  IV.,  Henry 
VII.,  Elizabeth,  James  I.,  and  James  II.  Its  first  claim,  however,  is 
that  of  being  the  place  at  which  St.  Patrick  landed  in  432,  when  he 
arrived  to  uproot  paganism  in  Ireland.*  All  that  now  remains  of  its 
ancient  grandeur  is  the -ruined  castle  of  King  John,  erected  on  a  rocky 
height  in  1210  by  De  Courcy  and  around  which  the  town  grew;  the 
crumbling  walls  of  a  Dominican  monastery  and  church,  of  mixed  eccle- 
siastical and  military  character,  erected  in  1305  by  Richard  de  Burgh, 
Earl  of  Ulster;  the  Tholsel ;  part  of  the  old  walls;  and  a  couple  of 
square  towers,  probably  the  remnants  of  fortified  houses,  of  which  the 
town  is  said  to  have  possessed  32  in  its  palmy  days,  necessary  for  its 
protection  as  a  border  town  of  the  Pale. 

At  Omeath,  the  next  station,  about  five  miles  further  on  and  near 
to  the  boundary  line  of  Louth  and  Armagh,  a  ferry  conveyed  us  across 
the  bay  to  Warrenpoint  upon  the  opposite  shore,  in  County  Down, 
where  we  entered  the  province  of  Ulster.  And  here  we  may  state 
that  Carlingford  Bay,  whose  head  we  now  attained,  is  a  land-locked 
arm  of  the  sea,  extending  inland  for  nine  miles,  with  a  width  vary- 
ing from  one  and  a  half  to  three  and  a  half  miles,  and  a  favorite 
haven  of  refuge  for  coasting  mariners  during  stormy  weather.  Leaving 

*  Opinions  differ  as  to  the  birthplace  of  Ireland's  Apostle,  notwithstanding  that  his  own  confession  gives 
it  as  Armorica,  a  district  of  Gaul,  and  near  to  the  spot  where  now  stands  Boulogne-sur-mer.  The  year  of 
his  birth  is  generally  conceded  to  be  A.  D.  387.  The  Irish  monarch,  Nial  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  after 
ravaging  the  coasts  of  Britain,  extended  his  conquests  to  those  of  Gaul,  where  he  made  St.  Patrick  a 
captive  at  the  age  of  16.  He  was  transported  to  Ireland,  landed  near  Dundrum,  and  sold  into  slavery, 
and  for  six  years  tended  the  sheep  of  a  man  named  Milcho,  after  which  he  escaped  to  the  coast  where 
he  was  received  on  board  of  a  merchant  vessel  and  conveyed  home.  He  then  resorted  to  the  college  of 
St.  Martin,  near  Tours,  where  he  was  educated  for  the  priesthood.  His  mind  soon  became  impressed 
with  the  condition  of  Ireland,  at  that  time  buried  in  the  darkest  paganism,  ana  through  the  influence  of 
a  dream  determined  upon  its  conversion.  He  was,  however,  unable  to  carry  out  his  design  until  past  the 
age  of  forty,  when  Pope  Celestine  sent  him  as  bishop  to  Ireland  ;  and,  tarrying  for  a  time  in  Britain, 
he  arrived  at  the  scene  of  his  labors,  according  to  the  Irish  annals,  in  the  first  year  of  the  pontificate 
ot  Sixtus  III.  He  at  first  attempted  to  land  near  the  harbor  of  Dublin,  and,  upon  being  repulsed  there, 
and  at  other  places  in  Leinster,  he  eventually  proceeded  to  and  landed  at  Carlingford.  He  soon  after 
directed  his  steps  towards  Tara,  where  the  princes  and  states  of  the  kingdom  assembled,  for  the  purpose 
of  celebrating  the  Christian  festival  of  Easter  ;  and  made  his  first  important  conversion  at  Slane,  as  described 
in  the  last  chapter.  Though  his  missionary  labors  carried  him  to  all  parts  of  Ireland,  he  passed  the 
greater  part  of  his  time  between  Armagh  and  his  favorite  retreat  at  Sabhul,  in  the  barony  of  Lecale,  the  spot 
that  had  witnessed  the  first  dawning  of  his  apostolic  career,  and  where  he  died,  March  17th,  A.  D.  465, 
at  the  age  of  78. 


BEAUTIFUL  ROSS-TREVOR, 


131 


Warrenpoint  for  a  future  day,  we  seated  ourselves  in  a  tram  car,  which 
took  us  down  the  bay's  side  for  two  or  three  miles  and  past  a  lovely 
valley,  rejoicing  in  the  name  of  Arno,  and  the  Ross  Monument,  to  the 
delightful  watering  place  of  Ross -Trevor,  "beautiful  Ross -Trevor" — the 
Montpellier  of  Ireland,  screened  from  the  icy  northern  blasts  by  its 
mountain  background.  It  contains  about  300  pleasant  houses  for  the 
accommodation  of  guests,  who  flock  hither  from  various  parts  of  Ulster 
and  Leinster  to  while  away  the  livelong  summer  day,  and  enjoy  a 
refreshing  bathe  in  the  briny  waters  of  the  lough  ;  while  a  sail  upon 
it,  to  employ  the  language  of  an  enthusiastic  writer,  "  is  inexpressibly 
charming — combining,  in  infinite  perfection,  every  element  of  beauty,  if 
not  of  actual  sublimity,  in  marine  and  pastoral  scenery."  The  ivy-covered 
ruins  of  an  old  church  is  the  sole  remnant  of  antiquity,  for  the  dilap- 
idated walls  of  the  massive  castle  of  the  bold  Rory  McGennis  have 
in  late  years  all  but  disappeared.  To  this  chieftain,  who  was  a  kins- 
man of  one  of  the  lords  of  Iveagh,  and  formerly  owned  this  region, 
Ross -Trevor  owes  its  first  name  of  Castle  Roe  or  Rory.  In  Elizabeth's 
time,  however,  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Sir  Marmaduke  Whitchurch, 
who  re-christened  it  Rose-Trevor,  on  the  eve  of  the  marriage  of  his 
daughter  Rose  to  young  Edward  Trevor,  afterwards  Baron  of  Dungannon  ; 
and  subsequently,  becoming  the  property  of  a  Lord  Mayor  of  Dublin, 
named  Ross,  members  of  whose  family  represented  Newry  and  Carling- 
ford  for  several  years  in  the  Irish  Parliament,  it  was  known  for  a  time 
as  Rostrevor,  previous  to  receiving  its  present  name. 

Ross -Trevor  Pier  and  quay  are  situated  a  few  minutes'  walk  further 
down  the  bay.  It  is  most  likely,  however,  that  the  old  landing  place, 
as  depicted  by  Mr.  Bartlett  in  our  engraving,  will  have  been  removed 
and  a  new  pier  erected  before  this  wrork  has  passed  through  the  printer's 
hands,  as  improvements  are  projected  which  will  add  to  the  attractions  of  the 
district,  and  create  a  new  watering  place  at  the  door  of  the  old  favorite. 
Extensive  and  delightful  views  are  obtained  from  the  summit  of  the 
neighboring  Slieve  Ban,  2796  feet  above  the  sea  level,  and  from  Clough- 
more,  standing  upon  one  of  its  shoulders,  and  about  which  latter  hover 
traditions  of  druids  and  giants  of  days  gone  by. 

From  Ross -Trevor  we  made  an  excursion  into  the  "Kingdom  of 
Mourne,"  visited  one  or  two  places  on  the  sea-coast,  and  returned  by  a 


132 


THE  MO  URN E  MOUNTAINS  AND  ARMAGH. 


road  that  led  us  through  the  heart  of  the  mountains.  The  little 
dominion  was  anciently  known  as  Borcha  or  Borche,  and  its  kings,  who 
frequently  figured  in  the  early  history  of  Ireland,  resided  at  Greencastle. 
It  covered  an  area  of  about  fourteen  miles  by  six,  and  included  a 
considerable  part  of  the  mountain  range ;  and,  until  a  late  period, 
retained  the  attributes  of  a  kingdom,  being  governed  by  a  seneschal,  a 
court  baron,  and  court  leet,  which  made  their  own  laws  by  authority  of 
royal  patent.  Its  spiritual  authority,  however,  was  vested  in  the  lord 
abbot  (the  Earl  of  Kilmorey),  who  appointed  a  vicar  as  head  of  the 
exempt  jurisdiction  of  Newry  and  Mourne,  whose  court  had  all  the 
powers  of  an  ecclesiastical  and  probate  court.  A  mountain  road  of  about 
ten  miles  in  length,  the  latter  half  of  which-  carried  us  across  the  little 
kingdom  in  question,  took  us  past  Mourne  Park,  the  Irish  seat  of  the 
Earl  of  Kilmorey,  to  Kilkeel,  a  thriving  little  town  upon  the  sea-coast 
rapidly  blossoming  into  a  pleasant  sea-bathing  resort. 

The  next  dozen  miles  took  us  over  the  narrow  strip  of  land  which 
lies  between  the  mountain  range  and  the  sea-coast  to  Newcastle.  The 
road  ran  along  the  base  of  Spence's  Mountain,  1529  feet  high,  and 
Crossone,  1777  feet  high;  presented  to  our  view  the  peaks  of  others;  and 
carried  us  in  some  parts  a  hundred  feet  above  the  sea,  where  its  margin 
was  "  indented  with  yawning  caverns,  so  terrifically  lashed  by  the 
tremendous  waves  as  to  impart  to  the  coast  a  character  of  extraordinary 
sublimity."  Newcastle  is  planted  at  the  very  foot  of  Slieve  Donard,*  the 
monarch  of  the  Mourne  Mountains,  towering  over  it  2796  feet.  In  late 
years  it  has  become  very  attractive  as  a  watering  place,  and  possesses  in 
addition  to  its  sea-bathing  facilities  a  rather  celebrated  spa.  The  castle, 
whence  it  was  named,  was  removed  not  many  years  ago,  having  been  built 
in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth  by  Felix  M'Gennis,  one  of  the  lords  of  Iveagh, 
and  forfeited  after  the  rebellion  in  1641.  The  view  from  the  summit  of 
Slieve  Donard  is  declared  to  be  wild,  beautiful  and  grand,  and  extends 
over  the  entire  Mourne  range,  which  covers  an  area  of  fourteen  miles  by 
eleven.  The  ascent  occupies  three  or  four  hours,  and  the  descent  an 
equal  amount  of  time — more  than  we  could  well  spare — so  we  had  to 
pass   on  without  planting  our  feet  upon  the  loftiest  sod  in  the  northeast 

*  St.  Donard,  a  disciple  of  St.  Patrick,  is  said  to  have  spent  the  life  of  a  hermit  on  this  mountain,  and 
built  a  cell  or  oratory,  on  the  top  of  it,  towards  the  close  of  the  fifth  century. 


THE  COAST  OE  DOWN. 


133 


of  Ireland.  The  adjoining  height,  Slieve  Snavan,  is  popularly  known 
as  the  creeping  mountain,  because  it  can  only  be  climbed  in  a  creeping 
posture. 

Newcastle  is  connected  with  Belfast  by  a  railway  which  passes  through 
the  little  town  of  Dundrum  and  the  cathedral  city  of  Downpatrick,  of 
which  two  places  we  may  here  append  a  few  particulars.  As  far  as 
Dundrum  the  line  for  four  miles  skirts  the  bay  of  the  same  name,  where 
it  will  be  remembered  that  in  1847,  tne  "  Great  Britain,"  for  many  years 
afterwards  a  lucky  Australian  steamship,  had  the  bad  fortune  to  go 
ashore  and  remain  imbedded  in  the  sand  for  several  months.  Dundrum 
is  said  to  be  the  place  at  which  St.  Patrick  landed  when  first  brought  to 
Ireland  as  a  captive,  being  then  a  youth  of  16.  Its  only  relic  of  antiquity 
consists  of  the  ruins  of  a  castle  built  by  De  Courcy  for  the  Knights 
Templars,  who  held  it  till  the  abolition  of  the  order  in  1 3 1 3.  Downpatrick 
is  situated  upon  the  river  Ouoile,  shortly  before  it  enters  Lough  Strang- 
ford,  an  island-studded  inlet  of  the  sea.  It  is  stated  to  be  the  most 
ancient  place  in  Ulster,  and  the  residence  of  the  native  Kings  of  Ullidia. 
When  the  Anglo-Normans  took  possession  of  the  city  in  11 77,  it  was  the 
residence  of  Mac  Dunleve,  Prince  of  Ullagh,  who  retreated  before  the 
forces  of  Sir  John  De  Courcy.  The  see*  was  established  by  St.  Patrick, 
who  founded  a  monastery  in  whose  precincts  not  only  he,  but  St.  Bridget, 
and  St.  Columb  were  buried.  The  cathedral,  standing  upon  a  hill,  was 
built  on  the  ruins  of  one  that  had  been  destroyed  by  the  Danes,  by 
Malachy  O'Morgair,  Bishop  of  Down,  in  1140.  It  was  afterwards  burnt 
by  Edward  Bruce  and  by  Lord  Deputy  Gray,  in  1538,  and  then  allowed 
to  remain  in  ruins  until  1 790,  when  the  present  structure,  consisting  of 
nave,  choir,  and  aisles,  with  a  fine  western  tower,  was  erected,  the  church 
at  Lisburn  doing  duty  as  the  cathedral  in  the  meantime.  A  Round 
Tower.  66  feet  high,  formerly  stood  about  40  feet  from  the  cathedral,  but 
was  removed  under  the  apprehension  that  it  might  fall  and  damage  the 
sacred  edifice.    The  city  is  the  county  town  of  Down,  has  a  population  of 

*  The  diocese  of  Down  was  united  to  that  of  Connor  at  an  early  period,  bnt  they  were  separated  in  1137,  and 
reunited  by  the  Pope  in  1441.  The  site  of  the  ancient  bishopric  of  Connor  lies  a  few  miles  north  of  Antrim.  Aengus 
Mac  Nisse,  a  pupil  of  St.  Patrick,  about  500,  erected  a  church  there,  became  its  first  bishop,  and  was  buried  in  it  in  5 14. 
In  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  the  see  of  Dromore  was  added  to  Down  and  Connor  during  Jeremy  Taylor's 
episcopacy  m  1661,  and  permanently  united  to  it  in  1S42  In  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  Dromore  remains  a 
distinct  see  with  the  bishop  residing  at  Newry,  while  the  seat  of  that  of  Down  and  Connor  is  at  Belfast. 


134 


THE  MOURNE  MOUNTAINS  AND  ARMAGH. 


nearly  4000  inhabitants,  and  returns  a  member  to  the  British  Parliament. 
Not  far  from  the  city  is  the  Struel  Well,  formerly  a  favorite  station 
resorted  to  by  pilgrims  desirous  of  partaking  of  the  benefits  which  were 
presumed  to  attend  the  miraculous  flowing  of  its  waters  on  the  Vigil  of 
St.  John. 

In  our  return  to  Ross -Trevor  from  Newcastle,  we  took  the  inland 
and  shorter  route  which  led  us  through  the  passes  between  the  mountains, 
and  along  by  some  picturesque  and  thriving  villages  ;  we  can,  however, 
only  find  space  for  a  brief  mention  of  what  we  saw.  The  first  object  of 
interest  was  Tollymore  Park,  the  tasteful  demesne  of  the  Earl  of  Roden, 
adjoining  the  pretty  village  of  Bryansford.  One  of  the  puzzling  Round 
Towers  was  wont  to  raise  its  lofty  head  a  mile  from  this  place,  but  some 
years  ago  became  so  shaky  in  its  foundations,  that  it  was  blown  down 
by  a  violent  gale  ;  when,  strange  to  say,  it  lay  prostrate  upon  the  ground, 
"without  breaking  to  pieces,  so  wonderfully  hard  and  binding  was  its 
cement."  We  next  passed  through  the  prosperous  little  town  of  Castle- 
wellan,  and  by  the  demesne  of  the  Earl  of  Annesley,  whence  to  the 
village  of  Rathfriland,  we  drove  for  ten  miles  with  charming  pictures 
continually  presenting  themselves  in  every  direction,  giving  new  aspects 
of  the  Mourne  Mountains  and  a  near  view  of  the  waters  of  Lough 
Island  Reavy,  by  whose  margin  we  sped  along.  Rathfriland,  where  we 
found  ourselves  at  the  back  of  Slieve  Donard  and  its  tall  brothers,  is  a 
compact  mountain  village  at  the  top  of  a  steep  hill,  evidently  once  a 
powerful  military  post,  protected  by  a  fortress  of  the  M'Gennises, 
dismantled  after  the  rebellion  of  1641,  and  with  its  materials  now  almost 
entirely  used  up  in  the  construction  of  more  peaceful  dwellings.  A  run 
of  three  miles  down  hill  now  brought  us  to  Hilltown,  a  nest  of  houses 
huddled  together  under  the  protecting  wing  of  Eagle  Mountain,  2084  feet 
high,  upon  whose  craggy  summit  the  royal  bird  erects  its  eyrie,  and 
nurtures  its  feathery  brood.  And  then,  alternately  toiling  up  hill  and 
rolling  down,  we  at  last  gain  a  ridge  from  whence  we  have  a  view  of 
Carlingford  Lough — to  be  speedily  lost,  however,  as  we  dive  down  into  a 
valley,  but  regained  in  an  enlarged  form  as  we  obtain  the  next  eminence, 
with  below  us  the  cottages  and  villas  of  "beautiful  Ross-Trevor." 

Warrenpoint,  so  called  from  a  rabbit-warren  having  occupied  its  site, 
is  quite  a  modern  town,  situated  six  miles  from  Newry,  of  which  it  is  the 


port  (only  small  vessels  being  enabled  to  reach  the  latter  by  means  of 
a  canal,  which  *»xti»n<lg  as  far  as  Lough  Xeagfa)  ;  and  its  shipping  trade 
includes  regular  steam  communication  with  Liverpool  and  Glasgow. 
It  has  a  busy  resident  population  of  about  2000,  which  number  is  trebled 
in  summer  by  the  influx  of  occupants  for  the  many  pretty  houses  that 
extend  along  the  margin  of  the  bay  in  the  direction  of  Ross-Trevor, 
drawn  thither  by  the  magnificence  of  die  scenery  and  the  advantages  *>f 
a  genial  climate  and  sea  bathing.  Warrenpoint  is  further  united  with 
Newrv  by  railway,  and  by  the  older  connecting  links  of  road  and  river. 
A  mile  from  the  former  town  there  is  a  sudden  narrowing  of  the  river, 
which,  though  shallow,  is,  above  and  below,  of  considerable  width,  and 
the  obstructing  rock  is  crowned  by  the  ruins  of  Narrow  Water  Castle. 
Here,  in  12 12,  Hugh  DeLacy  erected  a  fortress  to  protect  the  ferry, 
which,  however,  was  destroyed  in  1641,  and  rebuilt  by  the  Duke  of 
Ormonde  in  1663.  The  castle,  whose  ruins  still  remain,  consisted  of 
one  square  battlemented  tower,  and  its  rocky  bed  was  formerly  insulated, 
die  tide  flowing  around.  This  remnant  of  an  age  when  streams  and 
mountain  passes  were  guarded  by  frowning  turrets  had  the  misfortune 
some  years  ago  to  be  turned  into  a  salt  factory,  but  it  is  pleasant 
to  feel  that  it  is  kept  in  good  preservation  by  its  present  owner 
and  is  allowed  to  remain  a  picturesque  object  in  an  undisputed 
picturesque  district.  But  the  history  of  Marrow  Water  carries  us  beyond 
the  date  of  the  erection  of  the  castle,  to  the  time  of  the  landing  of 
the  Danes  in  Ireland,  at  the  close  of  the  eighth  century,  when  it  is 
said  that  they  formed  on  the  rock  it  now  occupies  a  station  whence 
tiev  ~2jriz.L:zr  circles  ::  z'.-zzt-  :~r  t.sz-tz':Bl',\ 

the  religious  establishments  of  the  district. 

Xewry  (iYa  jar,  "the  yew  tree")  is  situated  upon  both  banks  of 
the  Clanrye,  at  a  point  where  it  separates  the  counties  of  Down  and 
Armagh,  and  is  spanned  by  four  stone  bridges;  the  original  town, 
however,  was  confined  to  the  Down  side  of  the  stream.  It  is  a  clean, 
well-built  town,  enjoying  not  only  a  good  commercial  trade,  but  attract- 
ing large  numbers  of  tourists  in  consequence  of  its  contiguity  to 
die  mountain  region  we  have  just  described.  Newry  was,  in  remote 
times,  a  place  of  great  importance,  owing  to  its  position  in  the  pass 
between  die  Slieve  Donard  or  Mourne  Mountains  on  the  east  and  the 


136 


THE  MO  URN E  MOUNTAINS  AND  ARMAGH. 


Slieve  Gullion  range  on  the  west.  It  is  recorded  in  the  annals  of  the 
"  Four  Masters "  to  have  contained  a  monastery,  in  the  grounds  of  which 
was  a  yew  tree  planted  by  St.  Patrick ;  while  an  abbey,  dedicated  to 
St.  Patrick  and  St.  Mary,  is  also  said  to  have  been  founded  in  it  in 
IT57  by  Maurice  M'Laughlin,  King  of  Ireland,  but  destroyed  by  fire 
five  years  later,  and  the  charter  of  which  is  said  to  be  extant.  Placed 
for  a  time  upon  the  confines  of  the  Pale,  it  naturally  became,  after 
the  English  invasion,  the  theatre  of  many  subjugations,  feuds,  and 
incursions.  A  castle,  built  by  John  De  Courcy  to  guard  the  pass,  was 
destroyed  in  1318  by  Edward  Bruce,  and  rebuilt  in  1480;  and  afterwards 
restored  by  Marshal  Bagnall,  but  in  its  turn  burnt  along  with  the  town 
in  1689  by  the  Duke  of  Berwick.  Newry,  however,  now  possesses 
very  few  places  of  antiquity,  though  St.  Patrick's,  built  as  a  substitute 
for  the  abbey,  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  professedly  Protestant 
church  erected  in  Ireland,  and  still  possesses  a  part  of  the  tower,  with 
the  arms  of  the  founder,  Sir  Nicholas  Bagnall,  "Marshal  of  Ireland," 
1578,  who,  in  his  time,  besides  restoring  the  castle,  rebuilt  the  town, 
and  surrounded  it  by  walls.  The  parish  church,  St.  Mary's,  is  an 
elegant  Gothic  edifice,  built  early  in  the  present  century,  and  having  a 
handsome  tower  and  spire,  190  feet  in  height.  The  cathedral  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  bishop  of  Dromore,*  also  called  St.  Patrick's,  is  an 
equally  beautiful  Gothic  structure,  from  designs  by  Thomas  J.  Duff, 
the  architect  of  the  Metropolitan  Cathedral  at  Dundalk ;  and  the  same 
denomination  also  possess  a  church  dedicated  to  St.  Mary,  and  two 
convents.  The  Presbyterians,  who  built  their  first  church  in  Newry  in 
1650,  possess  now  no  less  than  four  exceedingly  handsome  places  of 
worship.  It  is  little  more  than  a  century  since  the  spirit  of  com- 
mercial enterprise  invaded  the  town ;  and  during  the  last  forty  years, 
while  many  places  in  Ireland  have  decreased  in  population,  Newry  has 
more  than  held  its  own.  It  numbered  13,364  inhabitants  in  1871,  and 
returns  one  member  to  the  British  Parliament. 

It  is  four  miles  from  Newry  to  the  main  line  of  the  Great  Northern 

*  The  ancient  city  of  Dromore  lies  about  20  miles  northeast  of  Newry.  Its  see  was  founded  in  510 
by  St.  Colman.  It  was  from  early  ages  the  seat  of  an  abbey,  which  eventually  became  the  cathedral  of 
the  Protestant  bishopric,  until  it  fell  into  ruins,  when  a  new  church  was  built  on  its  site  by  Jeremy  Taylor 
who,  with  Dr.  Percy,  were  its  most  eminent  prelates.  The  Protestant  diocese  was  annexed  to  that  of 
Down  and  Connor,  under  Jeremy  Taylor,  in  1661,  and  permanently  united  to  it  in  1842. 


THE  CITY  OF  ARMAGH. 


137 


Railway,  which  is  crossed  at  Goragh  Wood  by  the  line  connecting 
that  town  with  Armagh.  We  now  traveled  over  the  latter,  as  we  desired 
to  visit  the  ancient  archiepiscopal  city,  and  thus  made  a  detour  so  as  to 
take  it  in  on  our  way  to  Belfast,  but  found  nothing  along  the  twenty 
miles  of  road  that  demands  special  note. 

Armagh  is  conspicuously  situated  upon  the  ancient  Druimsailech,  the 
hill  of  Sallows,  and  is  said  to  derive  its  name  of  Ardmagh  either  from 
Macha,  the  only  queen  of  Ireland,  or  from  Eamhuin  Macha,  the  seat  of 
the  kings  of  Ulster,  who  made  it  their  capital  for  the  600  years  prior 
to  the  year  332.  St.  Patrick,  having  obtained  a  grant  of  the  hill  from 
Daire,  an  Irish  prince,  founded  the  ecclesiastical  city  *  in  445,  and  erected 
a  cathedral  and  several  religious  houses  ;  and  previous  to  the  incursion 
of  the  Danes  it  became  famous  for  its  schools  of  learning.  But  after 
the  arrival  of  the  Northmen  in  the  ninth  century,  the  city  suffered 
severely  for  a  long  lapse  of  years,  during  which  it  was  many  times 
rebuilt  and  destroyed.  Its  latest  and  most  complete  demolition,  however, 
was  the  act,  in  1566,  of  the  native  chieftain  Shane  O'Neill,  who  was 
excommunicated  for  his  sacrilege  by  Archbishop  Loftus.  Consequently 
there  is  no  vestige  left  of  ancient  churches  and  religious  edifices,  or  of 
the  sepulchre  of  Brian  Boiromhe,  who  was  interred  here  ;  and  the 
beautiful  Armagh  of  to-day  is  a  comparatively  modern  city,  owing  many 
of  its  institutions  to  the  liberality  of'  its  Protestant  primates,  among 
whom  may  be  specially  named  Archbishops  Ussher,  Hoodley,  Robinson, 
and  Lord  John  G.  Beresford.  To  the  latter  it  is  indebted  for  the 
restoration  of  the  cathedral,  and  to  Archbishop  Robinson,  who  is  par 
excellence  the  founder  of  the  modern  city,  for  the  erection  of  the  archi- 
episcopal residence,  the  public  library,  and  the  observatory.  The  city  is 
picturesquely  situated  upon  a  hill,  the  summit  of  which  is  crowned  by 
the  venerable  cathedral,  while  the  Roman  Catholic  cathedral  occupies  a 
prominent  position.    The  first  of  these,  which  in  its  original  construction 

*  Gelasius,  bishop  in  1136,  became  first  archbishop  of  Armagh  and  took  the  title  of  "  Primate  of  all  Ireland" 
in  1 152,  previous  to  which  date  the  kingdom  was  under  the  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction  of  the  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury. In  accordance  with  the  Church  Temporalities  Act  of  1833,  Tuam  ceased  to  be  a  Protestant  metropolitan  see 
in  1839,  and  the  dioceses  under  its  jurisdiction  became  subject  to  the  Archbishop  of  Armagh.  In  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church,  however,  the  two  provinces  remain  distinct.  The  Protestant  bishopric  of  Clogher  was  united  to 
the  see  of  Armagh  in  1850 ;  but  in  the  Catholic  Church  the  diocese  of  Clogher  continues  separate,  with  the 
residence  of  its  bishop  at  Monaghan.  Clogher,  the  Regia  of  Ptolemy,  about  25  miles  west  of  Armagh,  was 
erected  into  a  bishopric  in  493  by  St.  Macartin,  and  now  possesses  a  plain  cathedral,  nearly  rebuilt  in  the  last  century. 
11—17 


138 


THE  MOURNE  MOUNTAINS  AND  ARMAGH. 


dates  back  to  1268,  since  which  time  it  has  been  twice  or  thrice  burnt,  is 
cruciform  in  shape,  and  consists  of  nave,  aisles,  choir  and  transepts,  with 
a  massive  low  tower,  which  was  surmounted  by  a  spire  previous  to  the 
restoration.  Its  interior  contains  some  handsome  monuments  by  Roubillac, 
Chantrey,  and  others.  The  Roman  Catholic  cathedral  is  an  elegant  dec- 
orated edifice,  whose  prelate  resides,  as  previously  stated,  at  Dundalk. 
The  Archbishop  of  Armagh  is  "Primate  of  all  Ireland,"  and  that  of 
Dublin,  "  Primate  of  Ireland,"  The  causes  which  led  to  this  distinction 
are  given  on  page  9  of  this  volume.  The  Protestant  archiepiscopal  palace 
is  situated  more  than  a  mile  from  the  city,  in  beautiful  grounds,  which 
contain  an  obelisk,  commanding  fine  views.  Outside  the  city,  also,  are  the 
observatory  and  the  Navan  Fort,  asserted  -to  be  the  site  of  Emania,  the 
ancient  regal  abode,  erected  anno  mundi  3603.  Armagh  is  a  remarkably 
well-built  town  of  about  8000  inhabitants,  returning  one  member  to  Parli- 
ament ;  while  its  neighborhood  is  noted  for  the  production  of  holland  or 
brown  linen,  which  gives  occupation  to  an  industrious  community. 

The  35  miles  of  road  between  Armagh  and  Belfast  passes  through 
a  well-cultivated  agricultural  country,  and  towns  lively  with  the  noise 
of  the  weaver's  shuttle.  The  first  important  station  was  that  of  Porta- 
down,  where  we  again  joined  the  Great  Northern  Railway,  which  here 
sends  off  another  line  to  Londonderry.  From  this  junction,  to  Lurgan, 
and  on  to  Lisburn,  in  the  county  of  Antrim,  our  route,  carried  us  some 
little  distance  from  the  southeastern  shore  of  Lough  Neagh,  about 
which  we  have  something  to  say  in  the  next  chapter.  These  towns  have 
busy  populations  of  about  10,000  each,  Lisburn  being  a  Parliamentary 
borough,  sending  one  member  to  the  British  House  of  Commons,  and 
possessing  a  cathedral,  with  a  handsome  octagonal  spire,  once  the  diocesan 
church  of  Dromore,  and,  as  already  mentioned,  for  some  time  of  Down 
and  Connor  also.  It  contains  a  monument  to  the  pious  bishop,  Jeremy 
Taylor,  who  in  1661  was  placed  over  the  see  of  Down  and  Connor,  and 
soon  after  that  of  Dromore  likewise.  It  is  but  eight  miles  from  Lisburn 
to  Belfast,  the  railway  between  the  two  running  to  the  right  of  a  range 
of  chalk  hills,  which  rise  at  Mt.  Divis  to  a  height  of  1567  feet  as  the 
northern  capital  is  approached,  and  add  very  much  to  its  picturesqueness. 


CAVE  HILL  AND  BELFAST  LOUGH. 


139 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

BELFAST  AND  THE  ANTRIM  COAST. 

View  from  Cave  Hill — Early  history  and  modern  growth  of  Belfast — Docks  and  Shipping — 
Linen  Trade — Public,  religious  and  educational  edifices — Eminent  citizens — Commerce  of 
Belfast — Giant's  Ring — Belfast  Lough — Antrim  and  its  Round  Tower — Shane's  Castle — 
Lough  Neagh — Carrickfergus  and  its  Castle — Bangor — Donaghadee — Island  Magee — Larne 
— Castle  of  Olderfleet — Glenarm  and  the  race  which  won  it — Nachore  Hill  and  Garron 
Point — Glenariff  and  Red  Bay — Cushendall  and  Cushendun — Tor  Head — Glendun — Fair 
Head  and  its  basaltic  columns — Bally  castle  and  its  coal  mines — Antrim  Coast  Road. 

THE  prosperous  northern  metropolis  of  the  kingdom  occupies  a  sort  ot 
middle  place  in  Irish  annals,  its  only  historical  associations  ot 
importance  being  nearly  exclusively  confined  to  the  period  between  the 
Anglo-Norman  and  Cromwellian  invasions.  The  flourishing  commercial 
emporium  of  to-day  is  a  place  of  recent  growth,  whose  germ  may  be 
almost  said  to  have  been  planted  within  the  present  century  ;  and  its 
development  must  be  attributed  in  some  measure  to  its  favored  position, 
for  it  is  sheltered  on  the  west  by  a  chain  of  lofty  hills,  and  stands  on 
the  margin  of  a  fine  arm  of  the  sea — the  one  securing  to  it  a  genial 
climate,  and  the  other  opening  to  its  portals  the  whole  world  of 
commerce.  The  barrier  to  the  Borean  blasts  is  the  mountain  range  at 
whose  base  we  had  traveled  from  Lisburn  ;  and  it  has  placed  one  of  its 
loftiest  peaks,  Cave  Hill,*  rising  to  1 1 88  feet,  as  sentry  over  the  busy 
town,  with  its  wide  and  regular  streets.  Its  heights  present  a  compre- 
hensive view  of  Belfast  Lough,  and  a  panorama  of  its  southern  shore, 
the  northern  boundary  of  County  Down  ;  with  beyond,  Strangford  Lough, 

*  Cave  Hill,  about  two  miles  northwest  of  Belfast,  obtains  its  name  from  three  natural  caves,  formed  in 
the  perpendicular  face  of  the  basaltic  rock.  The  two  lowest  are  respectively  10  and  21  feet  long,  and  the 
uppermost,  which  is  nearly  inaccessible,  much  larger.  Upon  its  summit  is  an  earthwork  known  as  the  Fort  of 
Mac  Art,  from  its  having  been  one  of  the  last  strongholds  of  Brian  Mac  Art  (O'Neill),  who,  with  his  sept,  was 
exterminated  by  Deputy  Mountjoy  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth. 


140 


BELFAST  AND  THE  ANTRIM  COAST. 


with  its  many  islands  penetrating  the  land  ;  and,  in  clear  weather, 
glimpses  of  the  far-off  Scottish  coast. 

Belfast  was  known  to  the  early  Irish  as  Beal  na  farsad,  signifying 
"  the  mouth  of  the  ford  ; "  and  its  site  was  the  scene,  in  665,  of  a  battle 
between  the  Picts  and  Ulidians.  When  in  the  twelfth  century  Henry  II. 
bestowed  upon  De  Courcy  the  province  of  Ulster,  regardless  of  the  fact 
that  he  did  not  own  a  foot  of  territory  in  it,  the  beneficiary  made 
haste  to  secure  its  possession  ;  and  in  time,  the  ford  with  its  few 
fishermen's  huts  beheld  more  substantial  residences  and  an  embryo  city, 
whose  earliest  despoiler  seems  to  have  been  Edward  Bruce,  who  in  131 5 
completely  sacked  it.  It  is  recorded  to  have  possessed  in  1333  a  castle, 
held  by  William  de  Burgo,  Earl  of  Ulster,  and  afterwards  destroyed, 
rebuilt,  and  held  by  the  Irish  during  their  opposition  to  English  aggres- 
sion, but  wrested  from  the  O'Neills  in  1597.  The  town,  with  its  castle, 
was  presented  to  Sir  Arthur  Chichester,  ancestor  of  the  present  Marquis 
of  Donegal,  and  granted  Parliamentary  privileges  in  1612-13  by  James  I. 
After  this  it  was  for  a  time  held  by  Monroe,  one  of  Cromwell's  officers, 
and  in  1708  the  castle  was  accidentally  destroyed  by  fire,  and  never 
rebuilt.  From  the  time  of  its  incorporation  in  161 3,  Belfast  seems  to  have 
made  steady,  though  for  a  long  time  very  slow,  progress  in  commercial 
prosperity,  as  in  1660  it  only  contained  six  streets.  It  had,  however, 
before  this,  in  1637,  introduced  the  growth  of  flax  and  the  manufacture  of 
linen;  and  by  1725  had  entered  with  vigor  into  the  trade,  as  we  read  that 
in  that  year  machinery  was  introduced  into  the  operations  of  washing  and 
beetling.  The  manufacture  of  cotton  was  added  in  1777,  and  in  1829 
the  Messrs.  Mulholland  established  the  first  flax  spinning  factory  in  the 
town.  The  increase  in  the  population  of  Belfast  has  been  very  marked 
and  rapid  since  the  commencement  of  the  present  century,  when  it  num- 
bered about  20,000.  Nearly  four  score  years  later  (in  1879)  its  population 
was  estimated  at  over  200,000,  an  advance  of  ten  fold.  The  steady 
progress  to  its  present  magnitude  is  exhibited  in  the  census  returns, 
which  give  for  1821  a  population  of  37,000;  for  1851,  one  of  100,301  ; 
and  for  1871,  one  of  174,394.  Previous  to  the  union  in  1801,  Belfast 
returned  two  members  to  the  Irish  Parliament,  in  lieu  of  which  it  was 
allowed  to  send  only  one  to  the  British  Parliament,  but  its  rapid  increase 
enabled  it  to  command  a  second  member  in  the  reform  bill  of  1832. 


1 


DOCKS  AND  COMMERCE  OE  BELFAST. 


141 


The  town  stands  upon  both  sides  of  the  River  Lagan,  its  parts  being 
united  by  four  bridges,  of  which  the  handsomest  and  nearest  the  lough 
is  the  Qtceeris,  comprising  five  granite  arches  of  50  feet  span,  and 
occupying  the  site  of  the  Long  Bridge,  of  840  feet  and  21  arches, 
originally  constructed  in  1682.  Next  in  order  come  a  new  iron  railway 
bridge,  the  Albert,  and  the  Ormean  Bridge,  the  latter  opened  in  1863. 
Belfast  being  essentially  a  commercial  town,  it  is  proper  that  we  should 
first  devote  our  attention  to  those  institutions  that  are  most  intimately 
connected  with  its  trade.  The  harbor,  which  was  originally  a  mere 
creek,  has,  under  the  wise  administration  of  its  commissioners,  become 
one  of  the  finest  in  the  kingdom.  The  hills  already  mentioned, 
sheltering  the  bay  from  the  north  and  west  winds,  make  it  a  safe 
anchorage,  though  in  some  places  interrupted  by  sandbanks.  It  was 
necessary,  however,  to  anchor  large  vessels  in  the  pool  of  Garmoyle, 
four  miles  from  the  town,  previous  to  1840,  when  a  cut  was  made 
through  which  vessels  drawing  20  feet  of  water  could  pass  at  spring 
tides.  Steamers  and  other  craft  being  thus  enabled  to  approach  the 
town,  the  result  has  been  a  quadrupling  of  its  tonnage.  Additional 
improvements  made  in  the  harbor  during  the  last  40  years  have  indeed 
been  very  considerable,  and  the  reclamation  of  land  for  further  dock 
accommodation  steadily  progresses.  The  quays  extend  continuously  from 
the  Queen's  Bridge  for  about  a  mile.  They  are  lined  with  six  tidal 
docks,  viz.,  the  Prince's  and  the  Clarendon,  the  Hamilton  Graving  Dock 
and  the  Abercom  Basin,  the  Spencer  and  the  Dufferin  docks,  with  a  tidal 
basin  at  the  entrance  of  the  Spencer  Dock.  The  harbor  commissioners 
occupy  a  superb  building  of  cut  granite,  in  the  Italian  style,  surmounted 
by  an  elegant  clock-tower,  facing  Clarendon  Dock.  Ship  building, 
originally  introduced  into  Belfast  in  1 79 1 ,  is  now  carried  on  extensively. 
One  establishment  on  the  Queen's  Island  for  the  construction  of  iron 
ships  employs  2000  men,  and  has  produced  some  of  the  finest  steamers 
and  sailing  ships  afloat. 

The  Linen  Hall,  a  low,  quadrangular  brick  building,  occupying 
the  centre  of  Donegal  Square,  is  undoubtedly  the  parent  commercial 
institution  of  Belfast.  It  was  erected  in  1 7 1 5  upon  ground  granted  by 
the  then  Earl  of  Donegal  for  the  conduct  of  the  linen  business  of 
Ulster,    instead    of   having   it    transacted,    as   was   wont,  by   agents  in 


142 


BELFAST  AND  THE  ANTRIM  COAST. 


Dublin.  The  numerous  Flax  Mills  and  Linen  Warehouses,  observable 
in  all  parts  of  the  town,  soon  convince  a  stranger  of  the  present 
magnitude  of  the  staple  trade,  and  at  nightfall,  in  winter,  attract  the 
eye  by  the  brilliancy  of  the  light  shining  through  their  myriads  of 
windows.  The  York  Street  Spinning  Company,  successor  to  the  Mul- 
hollands,  is  one  of  the  most  extensive  establishments  of  the  kind  in 
the  kingdom,  employing  nearly  3000  hands,  and  indirectly  some  20,000 
more ;  and  having  generally  ,£100,000  worth  of  flax  undergoing  trans- 
formation. The  success  of  the  linen  trade  in  Ireland  is  really  a 
striking  illustration  of  the  benefits  that  a  country  may  sometimes  derive 
from  the  enactment  of  illiberal  and  prohibitory  laws,  for  it  received  its 
first  decided  impulse  through  the  unjust  policy  of  England.  McCulloch 
tells  us  that  in  1698  both  houses  of  Parliament  addressed  William  III., 
representing  that  the  progress  of  the  woolen  manufacture  of  Ireland 
was  such  as  to  prejudice  that  of  England,  and  that  it  would  be  for 
the  public  advantage  were  the  former  discouraged  and  the  linen  man- 
ufacture (which  had  then  obtained  some  foothold  in  the  kingdom) 
established  in  its  stead  ;  and  his  majesty  replied  that  he  would  do  all 
in  his  power  to  discourage  the  woolen  and  encourage  the  linen  man- 
ufacture in  Ireland,  and  thus  promote  the  trade  of  England.  Laudable 
exertions,  it  is  pleasant  to  know,  have  been  made  in  late  years,  with 
marked  success,  to  encourage  and  improve  the  cultivation  of  flax  in 
Ireland,  not  alone  as  a  staple  for  consumption  in  its  home  factories, 
but  as  an  article  of  exportation  for  manipulation  in  the  factories  of 
other  lands.  Thus  the  linen  trade  of  Ireland  gives  occupation  not 
only  to  a  large  manufacturing,  but  to  an  almost  equally  large  agricul- 
tural population  ;  while  thousands  of  acres  of  land  are  profitably 
employed  in  the  growth  of  flax  and  the  operations  of  bleaching,  and 
the  manufacturer  is  made  independent  of  foreign  aid  for  the  supply  of 
his  raw  material. 

Other  structures  connected  with  commerce  are  the  Custom  Hotise  and 
Post  Office  at  the  foot  of  High  Street,  erected  in  1857  in  the  Palladian 
style,  presenting  a  beautiful  river  front  and  affording  accommodation  for 
the  various  governmental  services  ;  and  the  Commercial  Buildings  in 
Waring  Street,  having  an  Ionic  facade,  and  comprising  a  spacious 
assembly  hall,  reading  room,  etc.     But  the  most  elaborate  and  elegant 


THE  CHURCHES  OF  BELFAST. 


143 


buildings  belonging  to  this  class  are  some  of  the  banks.  Indeed,  the 
Ulster  Bank  in  Waring  Street  is  one  of  the  handsomest  edifices  in  the 
borough,  having  an  imposing  red  sandstone  front,  with  12  Doric  columns 
below  and  16  above,  and  a  dome  whose  windows  contain  stained  glass 
portraits  of  eminent  men  ;  while  the  Belfast  Bank,  at  the  corner  of 
Waring  and  Donegal  Streets,  presents  an  elegant  exterior  of  mixed 
Doric  and  Corinthian  styles  ;  and  the  Provincial  Bank,  in  Hercules 
Place,  is  a  handsome  Venetian  structure  of  white  stone. 

In  a  religious  point  of  view  two-thirds  of  the  people  of  Belfast  are 
Protestant  and  one-third  Catholic  ;  while  about  half  of  the  first  belong 
to  the  Presbyterian  faith,  which  plainly  indicates  the  Scotch  origin  of 
a  great  number  of  its  inhabitants.  It  has  no  ancient  ecclesiastical 
edifice  to  present  to  the  eye — a  connecting  link  between  early  and 
modern  Christianity — for  the  greater  part  of  its  churches  are  of  recent 
structure.  Among  its  older  places  of  worship  are  St.  Anns  Parish 
Church,  in  Donegal  Street,  built  of  red  brick  with  stone  portico  and 
lofty  tower  in  1776  by  the  Earl  of  Donegal,  and  St.  Georges,  in  High 
Street,  opened  in  18 19,  with  a  Corinthian  portico  transferred  from 
Ballyscullion  House,  the  seat  of  the  Earl  of  Bristol  when  Bishop  of 
Derry.  Among  its  recent  churches  the  most  interesting  are  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  in  Rosemary  Street,  with  a  handsome  portico  of 
ten  Doric  columns  approached  by  a  flight  of  20  steps ;  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  in  May  Street,  and  another  in  Fisherwick  Place  in  the  Ionic 
style  ;  St.  Enoch's,  in  Carlisle  Circus  ;  St.  James'  in  Antrim  Road  ; 
St.  Thomas',  in  Lisburn  Road  ;  and  the  Methodist  Memorial  Church, 
in  Carlisle  Circus,  which  latter  is  said  to  be  one  of  the  most  mag- 
nificent structures  belonging  to  the  Methodist  body  in  the  United 
Kingdom.  But  it  is  impossible  to  designate  all  the  churches  worthy 
of  note  in  Belfast  belonging  to  the  three  leading  Protestant  denomi- 
nations, of  which  the  Church  of  Ireland  has  21,  the  Presbyterian 
Church  31,  and  the  Methodists  19,  while  there  are  in  addition  19 
places  of  worship  belonging  to  United  Presbyterians,  Reformed  Presby- 
terians, and  other  sects.  The  predominance  of  Presbyterian  churches 
will  be  accounted  for  when  it  it  is  stated  that  Belfast  possesses  many 
wealthy  Presbyterian  families,  and  is  the  place  where  the  general 
assembly  of  the  Irish   Presbyterian  Church   usually  meets,  and  whence 


144 


BELFAST  AND  THE  ANTRIM  COAST. 


its  periodicals  and  other  publications  issue.  Belfast  is  the  residence  of 
the  Roman  Catholic  Bishop  of  Down  and  Connor,  whose  Cathedral — 
dedicated  to  St.  Malachy — is  an  elegant  structure  in  Upper  Alfred 
Street,  but  is  surpassed  in  architectural  magnificence  by  St.  Patrick's, 
at  the  top  of  Donegal  Street.  The  total  number  of  Roman  Catholic 
churches  is  six. 

Belfast  is  well  supplied  with  educational  and  literary  institutions,  the 
principal  being  Queens  College,  one  of  the  trio  constituting  the  Queen's 
University,  established  in  Ireland  in  1849,  °f  which  we  have  already 
mentioned  those  at  Cork  and  Galway.  In  describing  the  college  at 
Cork  we  entered  into  the  particulars  of  the  principles  upon  which  they 
are  founded  ;  it  is  therefore  only  necessary  for  us  here  to  state  that  the 
college  at  Belfast  outranks  the  others,  both  in  the  number  and  distinc- 
tion of  its  graduates.  The  collegiate  buildings,  designed  by  Sir  Charles 
Lanyon,  and  situated  in  the  southern  suburbs  near  the  Botanical 
Gardens,  are  constructed  in  the  Tudor  style  of  red  brick  with  stone 
facings,  and  have  a  tower  100  feet  high,  surmounting  the  main  entrance. 
The  entire  length  of  the  edifice,  comprising  a  centre  and  two  wings,  is 
600  feet.  The  parent  educational  institution  of  the  borough,  however, 
is  the  Belfast  Academy,  in  Donegal  Street,  founded  in  1786,  on  the 
principle  of  the  Scotch  universities,  with  distinct  higher  or  collegiate,  and 
lower  or  school  departments.  But  political  excitement  caused  the 
abandonment  of  its  collegiate  department,  and  led  to  the  establishment, 
in  1807,  when  that  excitement  had  subsided,  of  the  Royal  Belfast 
Academical  Institution,  in  College  Square  ;  which  latter,  in  18 10,  on  the 
completion  of  its  buildings  at  a  cost  of  ,£30,000  raised  by  subscription, 
obtained  a  Parliamentary  grant,  continued  annually  until  the  opening  of 
the  Queen's  College  in  1849.  The  government  School  of  Art  is  now 
held  within  its  walls.  The  other  leading  educational  institutions  consist 
of  St.  Malachy  s  Diocesan  College  near  the  junction  of  Antrim  and  Crumlin 
Roads,  for  Roman  Catholic  boys,  and  Convent  Schools  for  girls,  all  with 
boarding  accommodation  ;  the  Methodist  College,  in  University  Road, 
erected  in  1868  at  a  cost  of  ,£30,000,  with  an  endowment  of  ,£25,000  from 
voluntary  contributions ;  and  the  Presbyterian  Theological  College,  erected 
in  1853  for  the  education  of  students  for  the  ministry.  Among  other 
instructive  establishments,  we  may  specially  mention  the  Belfast  Museum, 


PUBLIC  EDIFICES  OF  BELFAST. 


145 


in  College  Square,  in  connection  with  the  Belfast  Natural  History 
and  Philosophical  Society,  and  containing  a  good  collection  of  Irish 
antiquities;  and  the  Botanic  Gardens,  established  1830,  which  contain 
a  handsome  conservatory,  and  are  characterized  by  an  excellent 
collection  of  native  plants. 

Of  the  county,  municipal  and  other  public  buildings,  the  principal 
is  the  Court  Ho?ise,  in  Crumlin  Road,  opened  in  1850,  when  Belfast 
succeeded  Carrickfergus  as  the  county  town  of  Antrim.  It  was 
designed  by  Sir  Charles  Lanyon,  and  its  front,  approached  by  a 
grand  flight  of  steps,  comprises  a  fine  Corinthian  portico  supporting 
a  pediment  crowned  by  an  allegorical  figure  of  Justice,  by  Kirke,  a 
Dublin  artist.  The  Municipal  Buildings,  in  Victoria  Street,  are  also 
modern,  having  been  erected  in  1871,  and  form  an  attractive  pile  of 
brick  and  red  sandstone.  The  Ulster  Hall,  in  Bedford  Street,  erected 
in  1862,  is  a  concert  and  assembly  room,  capable  of  holding  4000 
persons.  It  has  a  Corinthian  portico  of  six  columns,  and  possesses 
a  fine  organ.  The  Belfast  Miisic  Hall,  in  May  Street,  erected  in 
1839,  is  a  somewhat  ponderous  Doric  building.  The  Theatre  Royal, 
in  Arthur  Street,  has  been  recently  rebuilt,  and  is  now  one  of  the 
finest  dramatic    establishments  in  the  kingdom. 

Belfast  cannot  boast  of  many  commemorative  records  in  the  shape 
of  sculptured  stone.  It  has,  however,  cause  to  be  proud  of  the 
Albert  Memorial  and  Clock  Tower,  at  the  foot  of  High  Street,  147 
feet  high  and  erected  in  1870  by  public  subscription.  It  is  in  the 
Venetian-Gothic  style,  with  a  statue  of  the  Prince  in  a  niche  in  the 
shaft.  In  College  Square  there  is  a  statue  of  the  Rev.  Henry 
Cooke,  D.  D.,  replacing  a  bronze  statue  of  the  late  Earl  of  Belfast, 
removed  to  the  Municipal  Buildings.  Belfast  however,  modern  as  it 
is,  can  boast  of  many  eminent  sons  and  residents,  whose  counterfeit 
representations  will  no  doubt,  in  coming  time,  be  found  to  supply 
fitting  adornments  for  its  streets  and  squares.  Among  these  may 
be  named  in  literature,  James  Sheridan  Knowles,  the  dramatist,  in 
early  life  a  teacher  in  its  academy,  and  the  Rev.  T.  D.  Hincks,  the 
orientalist  ;  and  in  law  and  politics,  Lord  Cairns,  ex-Lord  Chancellor  of 
England,  Sir  Joseph  Xapier,  and  Lord  O'Hagan,  ex-Lord  Chancellors 
of  Ireland,  and  Sir  James  Emerson  Tennant.  It  would,  we  think,  be 
11— « 


146 


BELFAST  AND  THE  ANTRIM  COAST. 


unjust  to  the  fair  women  of  Belfast  to  omit  some  mention  of  them 
from  this  personal  paragraph,  and  we  are  sure  we  cannot  introduce 
them  in  a  pleasanter  manner  than  by  mentioning  how  they  appeared 
even  as  far  back  as  1842,  to  so  critical  an  eye  as  that  possessed  by 
the  genial  Thackeray,  who  in  sketching  his  impressions  of  the  place 
says :  "  I  never  saw  a  town  where  so  many  women  are  to  be  met — 
so  many  and  so  pretty — with  and  without  bonnets,  with  good  figures, 
in  neat  homely  shawls  and  dresses.  The  grisettes  of  Belfast  are 
among  the  handsomest  ornaments  of  it ;  and  as  good,  no  doubt,  and 
irreproachable  in  morals  as  their  sisters  in  the  rest  of  Ireland."  Now 
as  the  author  of  "Vanity  Fair"  had  something  of  the  same  kind  to 
say  about  the  Limerick  lasses,  it  may  be  satisfactory  for  us  to  note 
here  that  he  did  not  come  in  contact  with  the  Blarney  Stone,  during 
his  short  sojourn  in  its  vicinity.  We  may  venture,  however,  on  our 
own  behalf,  the  opinion  that  while  his  pictures  may  have  been  true 
to  the  life  at  the  time  they  were  taken,  if  he  were  to  reproduce 
them  now  he  would  be  even  more  exuberant  in  his  description. 

It  is  interesting  to  record  that  while  no  printing  press  was  set  up  in 
the  town  till  1696  (a  much  later  date  than  that  at  which  printing  was 
introduced  into  barbarous  Russia),  still,  the  first  bible  printed  in 
Ireland  was  issued  in  1704  from  the  office  of  Messrs.  Blow  &  Neill, 
of  Belfast;  and  that  it  is  the  place  in  which  the  oldest  Irish  periodical, 
the  "Weekly  Magazine,"  was  originally  established.  "The  Belfast 
News  Letter,"  now  a  daily  paper,  dates  back  as  far  as  1737,  when 
it  was  the  first  newspaper  printed  in  Ulster,  and  the  third  established 
in  the  kingdom.  There  are  at  present  some  half  a  dozen  daily  and 
several  weekly  newspapers. 

Though  the  manufacture  of  linen  is  the  chief  staple  of  the  place, 
and,  with  the  subsidiary  trades  connected  with  it,  employs  the  greatest 
number  of  its  laboring  population,  Belfast  has  many  other  factories,  very 
diverse  in  character.  Among  these  are  ship-building,  already  mentioned, 
iron-foundries,  boot  and  shoe  factories,  chemical  works,  distilleries, 
breweries,  flour  mills,  tanneries,  saw-mills,  agricultural  implement  works, 
and  many  other  industries.  It  has  also  an  important  export  trade 
in  provisions.  In  fact,  Belfast  is  not  only  a  great  manufacturing 
centre,  but  its  own  shipping  port,  and  may  be  said  to  be  proportionately 


THE  GIANT'S  RING. 


147 


to  Ireland,  what  Manchester  and  Liverpool  conjointly  are  to  England. 
There  is  daily  communication  by  steamboat  with  Glasgow,  Liverpool, 
Fleetwood,  and  Barrow-in-Furness,  and  at  stated  intervals  with  London- 
derry Dublin,  Ardrossan,  Bristol  and  London,  while  several  lines  of 
railway  connect  it  in  turn  with  all  parts  of  Ireland. 

During  our  sojourn  at  Belfast  we  drove  out  some  five  miles  in  the 
direction  we  had  traveled  toward  the  town  to  see  the  Giant's  Ring, 
which  lies  in  the  course  of  the  river  Lagan,  whose  watershed  is  on 
the  northern  slope  of  the  Mourne  Mountains.  This  extraordinary  work 
of  antiquity,  one  of  the  most  interesting  to  be  found  in  Ireland,  is 
situated  in  the  charming  neighborhood  of  Ballvlesson.  It  consists  of 
a  vast  and  richly  verdant  circular  mound,  a  third  of  a  mile  in  circum- 
ference and  about  80  feet  in  breadth  at  its  base,  and  so  high,  some- 
where  about  40  feet,  as  to  render  the  sky  the  only  visual  object  to 
any  person  standing  within  its  enclosure,  though  it  is  romantically 
situated  on  a  gently  sloping  eminence.  A  large  cromlech  or  stone 
altar  stands  within  the  circle  of  the  ring,  and  palpably  indicates  the 
druidical  origin  of  the  entire  work. 

The  railwav  from  Belfast  to  Carrickfergus  runs  beneath  the  over- 
han^ine  brow  of  Cave  Hill,  and  skirts  the  northwestern  shore  of  Belfast 
Lough,  passing  many  beautiful  suburban  residences,  and  through  Green- 
castle,  with  its  ruined  Anglo-Xorman  fortress  of  the  Burghs.  Earls  of 
Ulster  and  Lords  of  Connaught.  Our  arrangements  were  to  take  the 
ancient  port  and  proceed  along  by  the  rugged  Antrim  coast  to  the 
Giant's  Causeway.  However,  before  doing  this,  we  decided  upon  seeing 
Antrim  and  Lough  Neagh,  and  so  had  to  take  the  Londonderry  line, 
which  branches  off  to  the  west  from  the  road  to  Carrickfergus,  at 
somewhat  over  half  way.  As  we  rolled  along  bv  the  margin  of  Belfast 
Lough  we  had  an  opportunity  of  witnessing  the  white-winged  messengers 
of  commerce  flitting  over  its  surface,  and  the  panting  steamboats  plough- 
ing its  waters  heedless  of  the  direction  of  the  wind ;  while  we  had  a 
glimpse  at  the  marine  villas  of  the  Belfast  folk  in  the  pleasant  little 
watering  places  of  Sydenham  and  Hollywood,  on  the  opposite  shore. 
The  lough,  known  as  Carrickfergus  Bay  before  the  old  county  town 
was  supplanted  by  Belfast,  is  twelve  miles  long  by  five  miles  broad  at 
its  mouth,  its  widest  part,  whence  it  gradually  diminishes  as  it  penetrates 


148 


BELFAST  AND  THE  ANTRIM  COAST. 


the  land.  It  is  the  principal  harbor  in  the  north  of  Ireland,  and  has 
the  advantage  of  being  almost  entirely  free  from  rocks,  having  but  one 
dangerous  reef  on  its  northern  side,  covered  at  high  water,  and  from 
its  shape,  called  the  Briggs  or  tombs.  It  was  in  this  bay  that  Paul 
Jones  appeared  in  1778,  and,  after  a  bloody  engagement  captured  the 
British  sloop  of  war  Drake.  The  lough  is  the  rendezvous  of  the  Royal 
Ulster  Yacht  Club,  established  in  1864.  The  Club  has  a  good  fleet  of 
yachts,  with,  for  its  commodore,  Lord  Dufferin,  who,  in  early  life,  wrote 
"Letters  from  High  Latitudes,"  describing  a  yacht  cruise  to  Iceland, 
and  has  since  distinguished  himself  by  his  able  administration  of  the 
affairs  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada. 

The  road  to  Antrim    passes  Castle    Upton,   16   miles   from  Belfast, 
the  seat  of  Viscount  Templetown,  erected  about   1600  on  the  site  of  a 
preceptory  of  the  Knights  Templars,  of  which  there  are  slight  remains  ; 
and    near   to    some    druidical    stones,   known    as    Cairn    Grange,  which 
literally  means  "heap  of  the  sun."     The  little  town  of  Antrim,  though 
21   miles  from  Belfast  by  rail,  is  only  two-thirds  that  distance  by  road. 
It  contains  about  2000  inhabitants,  and  was  originally  the    assize  town 
of  the  county  to  which  it  has  given  a  name.     It  is  situated  on  the  Six 
Mile  Water,   near  to  its  influx   into  a  bay  of  Lough   Neagh,  and  was 
anciently  called   Entrim  or  Entrumnia,  "the  habitation  on  the  waters." 
It  is  a  clean  town,  having  for  its  only  remnant  of  antiquity  an  Episcopal 
church,    erected    in    1720    upon    the    site    of   one    built    in    1596,  and 
destroyed  by  fire  in  1649.      But  in  the  vicinity  is  a  very  perfect  Round 
Tower    of    rough    stone,  93    feet    high    and    53    feet  in  circumference ; 
and  surmounted  by  a  cap  replacing  in  fac-simile  the  original  shattered 
by   lightning    in     1822,    the    broken    pieces    of    which    are  preserved. 
This  Round    Tower, » however,    is    unaccompanied    by    any  ecclesiastical 
remains,  the  general  adjunct  to  these  structures.     To  the  south  of  the 
town,  and  extending  for   two    miles   along  the  shore    of  the  lough,  is 
Antrim  Castle,   the  spacious  baronial  mansion  of  Viscount  Massareene, 
with  its  Louis  Ouinze  gardens,  and  wooded  demesne.     Shane's  Castle, 
the  ancient  seat    of   the    O'Neills,    one    of  the    most   powerful  of  the 
Irish  septs,   is  situated  upon  a  promontory  within   Lord  O'Neill's  leafy 
park,  which  extends  for  three  miles    along   the  margin  of  the  lake  to 
the  westward.      The    castle,  which    derives    its    name  of   Shane,  Celtic 


LOUGH  NEAGH  AND  ITS  ISLANDS. 


149 


for  John,  from  the  O'Neill  of  Elizabeth's  time,*  was  destroyed  by  fire 
in  1816,  when  a  comparatively  modern  building,  while  some  additions 
were  being  made,  and  is  now  reduced  to  a  pile  of  ruined  towers  and 
turrets,  from  the  tops  of  which  an  extensive  view  of  Lough  Neagh  is 
obtained. 

This  lake  is  the  largest  in  the  British  Isles,  and  is  only  exceeded  in 
size  in  Europe  by  the  lake  of  Geneva,  and  by  the  lakes  of  Lodoga 
in  Russia  and  Vener  in  Sweden.  It  is  formed  by  the  confluence  of 
the  Blackwater,  the  Upper  Bann,  and  five  other  rivers,  and  has  for 
its  only  outlet  the  Lower  Bann,  which  enters  the  ocean  between 
Lough  Foyle  and  the  Giant's  Causeway.  It  is  about  20  miles  long 
and  12  miles  broad,  covers  an  area  of  154  square  miles,  is  45  feet 
deep  in  the  centre,  48  feet  above  the  level  of  the  ocean  at  low 
water,  and  lies  within  the  limits  of  five  counties.  Though  a  fine 
sheet  of  water,  it  presents  little  of  the  picturesque,  owing  to  the 
absence  of  mountains  near  its  borders,  though  its  aspect  is  exceed- 
ingly pleasant  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Antrim.  Near  to  the  latter 
is  Ram  Island,  or  "  Bonny  Ram  Island,"  as  it  is  called  in  an  old 
Irish  song.  It  is  the  largest  of  its  three  islets,  and  comprises  six 
acres  belonging  to  the  O'Neill  estate,  which  are  covered  with  foliage, 
and  contain  the  ruins  of  a  Round  Tower.  On  Church  Island,  near 
the  Armagh  shore,  and  now  used  as  a  cemetery,  are  the  ruins  of  an  old 
church  and  a   holy   well,  whose    overflowing    in    the    reign    of  Lugaid 

*  This  Shane  treated  with  the  Virgin  Queen  on  equal  terms  in  her  own  capital  after  the  sept,  had  almost 
overthrown  English  dominion  in  Ireland.  Proud  of  his  hereditary  descent,  and  esteeming  himself  the  true 
sovereign  of  Ulster,  he  viewed  as  subjects  and  vassals,  the  MacGennis,  MacGuire,  O'Reilly,  O'Hanlon,  O'Cahan, 
MacBrien,  O'Hagan,  O'Quin,  MacKenna,  MacArtane,  and  all  the  MacDonnells.  He  was  master  of  an  army 
of  4000  foot,  and  iooo  horse,  and  600  soldiers  constituted  his  body  guard.  Though  his  father,  Con,  had 
submitted  to  Henry  VIII.,  Shane  asserted  his  independence,  invaded  the  English  Pale  and  carried  the  sway  of 
his  race  higher  than  any  of  his  predecessors.  Yet,  desiring  peace,  he  proceeded  of  his  own  accord  to  visit  the 
English  court  as  an  independent  prince,  accompanied  by  a  body  guard  of  Gallowglasses,  armed  with  battle 
axes  and  dressed  in  their  native  costume,  with  long  curled  hair  descending  from  their  uncovered  heads,  regard- 
less of  the  law  which  prohibited  the  national  Irish  garb.  Elizabeth  received  him  graciously,  and  he  returned 
triumphantly  to  Ireland.  There  is  a  tradition  that  upon  the  fall  of  a  head  carved  in  stone  upon  one  of  the 
walls  of  the  ruined  castle  the  race  will  become  extinct.  The  ancient  hereditary  line,  in  fact,  expired  in  1856 
upon  the  death  of  John  Bruce  Richard  O'Neill,  the  third  baron  and  viscount,  created  respectively  in  1793  and 
1795.  The  earldom  of  O'Neill,  created  in  1800,  became  extinct  on  the  death  of  its  first  possessor,  Charles 
Henry  St.  John  O'Neill,  in  1841.  The  present  peer  who  inherited  the  estates,  received  a  new  barony,  and  by 
royal  license  assumed  the  name  of  O'Neill  in  lieu  of  his  patronymic  Chichester.  Since  the  demolition  of 
the  castle  a  portion  of  the  outbuildings  has  been  converted  into  a  residence. 


150 


BELFAST  AND  THE  ANTRIM  COAST. 


Riabderg,  in  the  first  century,  a  legend  of  the  lake  tells  us,  led  to  its 
formation,  and  has  given  a  text  to  Moore's  fanciful  pen,  in  the  lines :— ■ 

"On  Lough  Neagh's  banks,  as  the  fisherman  strays, 
When  the  clear  cold  eve's  declining, 
He  sees  the  Round  Towers  of  other  days 
In  the  wave  beneath  him  shining." 

Lough  Neagh  is  an  important  link  in  the  inland  navigation  of  northern 
Ireland,  as  it  is  connected  by  canals  on  the  one  side  with  Newry 
and  Carlingford  Bay,  and  with  Belfast  and  its  lough,  and  on  the  other 
side  with  Lough  Erne  and  thenceforward  to  the  Upper  Shannon  and 
to  Sligo  and  its  bay. 

From  the  primitive,  we  proceeded  to  the  second  but  now  also  obsolete 
county  town,  with  its  most  prominent  feature,  Carrickfergus  Castle, 
surmounting  a  rock  and  forming  a  most  noble  projection  on  the  bay, 
and  in  every  view  of  the  town  becoming  a  very  conspicuous  and 
picturesque  object.  This  castle,  erected  to  protect  the  bay,  is  at  high 
water  washed  on  three  sides,  the  southern  of  which  forms  the  harbor 
of  the  town.  The  greatest  height  of  the  rock  is  at  its  outer 
extremity,  where  it  is  about  thirty  feet,  shelving  considerably  towards 
the  land,  the  walls  of  the  castle  following  its  sinuosities  all  around. 
Two  towers,  called  from  their  shape  "  half-moons,"  are  on  the  town  side, 
and  have  between  them  a  fine  gate-way,  the  only  entrance,  defended 
by  a  straight  passage  with  embrasures  for  fire-arms.  There  are  also 
apertures  for  hurling  down  stones  and  pouring  melted  lead,  and  a 
portcullis.  In  the  lower  yard  are  the  guard-rooms  and  barracks, 
the  latter  built  in  1802,  and  from  the  upper  yard  rises  the  most 
conspicuous  part  of  the  fortress,  the  great  donjon  or  keep  of  five 
stories.  The  third  story  contained  a  large  room  known  as  Fergus's 
dining-room,  while  the  ground  story  was  bomb-proof.  In  the  keep 
was  also  a  draw-well  37  feet  deep,  but  it  has  been  allowed  to 
become  choked  up  with  rubbish.  Since  1843  the  fortress  has  been 
garrisoned  by  artillerymen  and  pensioners  and  lately  refitted  with 
modern  guns.  In  a  survey  given  by  George  Clarkson  in  1567, 
the  castle  was  stated  to  have  been  then  in  great  decay,  and  likely 
without  help  and  reparation  to  soon  come  to  ruin.  This  magnificent 
Anglo-Norman    fortress    was    built    by    DeCourcy    in    11 78    to  protect 


CARRICKFERGUS  AND  ITS  CASTLE. 


151 


his  Ulster  possessions,  and  is  supposed  to  occupy  the  site  of  a 
castle  called  after  the  chieftain  who  built  it,  Dim  Sobarky  or  Dun 
Sobairchia,  having  within  a  holy  well  blessed  by  St.  Patrick.  It 
surrendered  to  Edward  Bruce  upon  his  invasion,  after  a  long  and 
stout  defence  by  the  English  under  Mandeville,  during  which  the 
latter  were  so  reduced  by  famine  that  it  is  said  they  consumed 
everything  that  would  sustain  life,  including  30  Scotch  prisoners 
made  in  a  sortie ;  but  upon  Bruce's  death  it  was  once  more  occupied 
by  the  English,  and  except  occasional  possession  by  the  Scotch  or 
Irish  during  the  troubles  in  1641,  continued  with  them.  It  however 
was  captured  and  held  for  a  few  days  by  the  French  under  Thurot 
in   1 760. 

The  town  of  Carrickfergus  is  one  of  the  oldest  in  Ireland.  Its 
name  is  attributed  to  carrig,  a  rock,  and  Feargus,  an  Irish  King,  who 
was  lost  in  a  storm  off  the  coast,  400-300  B.  C.  It  more  likely 
comes  from  Fergus  MacErc,  a  Dalriadic  chief,  who  flourished  in  the 
year  502.  Its  leading  historical  events  since  the  founding  of  a  colony 
by  DeCourcy  include,  in  addition  to  those  already  given  in  connection 
with  the  castle,  its  capture  and  burning  by  Niall  O'Neill  in  1384;  the 
foundation  of  a  monastery,  of  considerable  importance,  for  Franciscans 
in  1497;  the  slaying  in  1597  of  the  governor  and  many  others  by  some 
Scottish  troops  under  Sir  James  MacDonnell  ;  its  environment  by  walls, 
completed  in  1608,  of  which  there  are  slight  remains,  including  the 
round  arched  Spittal  Gate,  on  the  north;  and  the  landing  on  June  14, 
1690,  of  William  III.,  upon  a  stone  upon  the  quay,  still  preserved  and 
impressed  with  a  foot  mark.  St.  Nicholas  Church,  surmounted  by  a 
spire,  is  a  handsome  cruciform  structure,  some  of  whose  ancient  grandeur 
has  been  brought  to  light  during  its  recent  restoration.  It  contains 
evidence  under  the  altar  of  a  subterranean  passage  which  led  to  the 
Franciscan  monastery,  of  which  no  traces  exist.  Among  the  monuments 
in  the  interior  is  one  to  the  Donegal  family,  bearing  effigies  of  Sir 
Arthur  Chichester,  first  Earl  of  Belfast,  and  his  wife,  and  Sir  John 
Chichester,  who  was  taken  in  the  ambuscade  at  Salthole,  and  beheaded. 
It  is  said  that  Sir  James  MacDonnell  once  remarked  upon  Sir  John's 
effigy  being  pointed  out,  "How  the  deil  cam  he  to  get  his  head  again  ? 
for  I   am  sure  I  ance  tak  it  frae  him."    Though  no  longer  the  county 


152 


BELFAST  AND   THE  ANTRIM  COAST. 


town  of  Antrim,  Carrickfergus  now  constitutes  a  county  within  itself, 
but  its  assizes  are  held  in  the  court-house  at  Belfast.  Its  population 
in  1 87 1  was  4028,  and  it  returns  one  member  to  the  British  Parlia- 
ment. A  considerable  part  of  the  town,  known  as  the  Scottish  quarter, 
is  chiefly  inhabited  by  persons  of  Scottish  descent.  The  harbor,  recently 
improved,  and  having  a  handsome  pier,  erected  in  1834,  is  one  of  the 
safest  roadsteads  in  the  north  of  Ireland,  being  protected  by  the  adjacent 
headlands  and  the  Copeland  Islands,  which  latter  are  situated  at  the 
entrance  to  Belfast  Lough,  and  within  a  mile  of  Donaghadee  on  the 
opposite  or  County  Down  coast.  Notwithstanding  that  the  commerce  of 
Carrickfergus  has  dwindled  into  insignificence  since  the  establishment 
of  the  port  at  Belfast,  it  continues  to  be  a  good  fishing  station,  and 
its  oysters  are  celebrated. 

Across  the  lough  and  not  far  from  the  promontory  which  marks 
its  entrance  on  the  south,  stands  Bangor,  between  which  town  and 
Belfast  there  is  communication  both  by  steamboat  over  the  lough 
and  by  railway  running  near  the  County  Down  shore.  This  easy  access 
has  caused  Bangor  in  late  years  to  become  a  favorite  summer  resort 
of  Belfast  people,  who  are  annually  adding  to  its  villa  population. 
It  was  once  the  seat  of  an  abbey  founded  by  St.  Comhgall  in 
552,  of  which  a  fragment  remains,  and  of  a  school  famous  for  its 
learning.*  It  was  within  the  dominion  of  the  O'Neills  and  possesses 
the  remains  of  a  castle.  The  industry  of  the  place  is  embroidery 
for  ladies'  attire,  of  which  a  large  quantity  of  fine  work  is  exported 
It  was  in  a  little  inlet  close  to  the  town  called  Groomsport  Bay, 
that  Duke  Schomberg  first  cast  anchor  in  1691.  Across  the 
promontory,  about  five  or  six  miles  eastwardly,  and  facing  the 
ocean,  is  Donaghadee,  once  the  chief  mail-packet  station  for  the 
north  of  Ireland  and  now  connected  with  Belfast  by  a  branch 
railway.  It  is  the  nearest  port  to  Great  Britain,  being  but  21 
miles  from  Portpatrick  in  Scotland,  and  is  the  point  of  earliest 
union  by  cable  with  the  sister  kingdoms.  While  a  packet  station,  large 
sums  were  expended  under  the  direction  of  Sir  John  Rennie,  C.  E.,  by 

*  The  seminary  directed  by  St.  Cathargus,  was  resorted  to  by  students  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  and  is 
declared  to  be  the  germ  of  Oxford,  King  Alfred  having  obtained  his  professors  from  Bangor  when  he  founded 
that  university.  In  818  when  the  place  contained  3000  monks  it  was  attacked  by  the  Danes,  who  mercilessly 
massacred  the  abbot  and  900  monks. 


V 


CA  RRICKFER  GUS  TO  LARNE.  153 

the  government  in  the  improvement  of  the  harbor  and  the  erection  of 
piers  and  a  lighthouse.  The  neat  little  town  has  a  parish  church  built 
in  1641,  and  a  population  of  about  2000,  much  increased  in  the  summer 
by  the  excellent  facilities  afforded  to  bathers.  At  its  back  rises  an 
immense  rath,  140  feet  high,  480  feet  in  circumference  at  the  base, 
and  219  at  the  summit,  which  latter  is  approached  by  a  winding 
pathway  and  commands  a  splendid  view  of  Belfast  Lough,  the  Scottish 
coast,  and  the   Isle  of  Man. 

From  Carrickfergus  the  railway  continues  for  about  15  miles  further 
to  its  terminus  at  Larne,  diverging  to  the  eastward  as  far  as  White- 
head, the  northern  entrance  to  Belfast  Lough,  where  it  makes  an 
angle  and  thence  runs  northwardly.  On  our  journey  we  passed  the 
ruined  church  of  Kilroot — Dean  Swift's  first  living,  soon  declined  on 
account  of  its  solitude — and  at  some  little  distance  from  the  remains 
of  the  ancient  castle  of  the  Chichesters,  situated  near  the  coast.  We 
then  ran  for  several  miles  along  by  Island  Magee,  named  after  its 
original  possessors,  a  narrow  promontory  lying  on  our  right,  six  or 
seven  miles  long  and  two  miles  broad,  running  parallel  with  the 
mainland  and  forming  the  eastern  shore  of  Lough  Larne,  the  latter 
about  the  same  length  and  over  half  the  width  of  the  peninsula.  This 
so-called  island  contains  the  Giant's  Cradle,  a  druidical  rocking-stone, 
reported  to  tremulously  move  on  the  approach  of  a  criminal,  and  on 
its  eastern  shore  some  precipitous  basaltic  cliffs,  called  the  Goblins, 
rising  perpendicularly  to  a  height  of  200  feet.  The  inhabitants  are 
of  Scottish  descent,  retaining  the  peculiarities  of  their  race ;  and  the 
island  has  an  unfortunate  notoriety  for  witchcraft  and  superstition,  the 
latest  trials  in  Ireland  upon  the  former  charge  being  of  eight  females 
of  this  district  in  Carrickfergus,  where  they  were  confined  in  the  pillory 
in  171 1.  We  also  ran  by  the  ruined  church  of  Templecoran,  "the 
cradle  of  the  Presbyterian  religion  in  Ireland,  where  the  first  congre- 
gation was  established  in  1613  by  the  Rev.  Edward  Brice  ; "  the  dell 
of  the  Salthole,  where,  in  1597,  Sir  James  MacDonnell  captured  Sir 
John  Chichester,  Governor  of  Carrickfergus,  whom  he  caused  to  be 
beheaded  at  Glynn  ;  and  as  we  approached  Glynn,  a  landslip,  which 
occurred  in   1834,  when  the  coach  road  was  carried  away. 

The  view  of  Larne  is  very  pleasing  as  seen  from  the  high  ground 

U— 48 


154 


BELFAST  AND  THE  ANTRIM  COAST. 


down  which  the  old  coach  road  slopes.  The  town  lies  snugly  ensconced 
near  the  margin  and  not  far  from  the  mouth  of  the  land-locked  bay 
to  which  it  gives  a  name,  and,  in  the  hazy  atmosphere,  the  scene 
had  quite  the  effect  of  an  Italian  landscape.  The  name  is  corrupted 
from  Latharna,  originally  that  of  the  district  of  which  Larne  is  the 
chief  town.  The  place  has  a  population  of  about  3000,  and  consists 
of  an  old  town  with  narrow,  ill-paved  streets,  and  a  new  town  with 
a  handsome  long  street  from  which  others  branch,  composed  of  sub- 
stantial stone  houses,  with  a  neat  town-hall,  museum,  and  two  public 
libraries.  It  has  an  extensive  export  trade  in  lime,  which  is  shipped 
from  Magheramorne,  about  four  miles  to  the  south  and  further  up 
the  bay.  Mail  steamers  run  daily  between  this  port  and  Stranraer  in 
Scotland,  during  daylight,  requiring  only  a  sea  passage  of  two 
hours,  and  forming  with  the  connecting  railways  easy  communication 
between  the  north  of  Ireland  and  Scotland  and  the  north  of 
England. 

To  the  north  of  Larne  a  strip  of  land  a  mile  in  length  juts  out 
in  the  form  of  a  reaping-hook,  whence  it  is  named  curraan,  from  carran, 
the  Irish  for  that  implement.  It  is  a  sort  of  natural  pier,  protecting 
the  entrance  to  Larne  harbor,  and  has  on  its  extremity,  where  there 
is  a  ferry  to  Island  Magee,  the  Castle  of  Olderfleet.  Robert  Bissett, 
a  Scotchman,  banished  from  his  own  country  for  participation  in  the 
murder  of  the  Duke  of  Atholl,  erected  this  fortress  for  the  protection 
of  the  neighboring  district,  granted  to  him  by  Henry  III.,  but  subse- 
quently forfeited  through  participation  in  rebellion.  It  was  granted  in 
the  seventeenth  century,  with  the  rights  of  the  ferry,  to  the  Chichesters, 
and  became  their  protecting  fortress  on  the  north  of  the  district,  while 
their  castle  at  the  junction  of  the  promontory  of  Magee  with  the  main- 
land, guarded  it  on  the  south.  The  only  notable  historical  event 
connected  with  Olderfleet  Castle  is  the  landing,  in  13 15,  of  Edward 
Bruce,  on  his  invasion  of  Ireland,  at  the  head  of  6000  men.  At  an 
earlier  date,  however,  in  1018,  the  bay  appears  to  have  been  the  scene 
of  a  naval  combat  between  the  Earl  of  the  Orkneys  and  the  Irish 
King,  disastrous  to  the  latter. 

At  Larne  the  pathway  of  the  iron  steed  ceases,  and  the  journey 
along  the  romantic  coast  of  Antrim    has  to  be  continued    in  the  less 


TOWN  AND  CASTLE  OF  GLEN  ARM. 


155 


rapid  but,  for  sight-seeing  more  enjoyable  jaunting-car.  It  is,  however, 
for  some  distance  upon  a  remarkable  road,  running  for  over  40  statute 
miles  northwesterly  to  Ballycastle,  and  a  wonderful  example  of  engineer- 
ing skill,  about  which  we  shall  have  a  word  to  say  hereafter.  The 
first  half  of  this  road,  between  Larne  and  Cushendall,  is,  perhaps,  the 
most  interesting:  seaside  drive  in  Ireland,  and  exhibits  to  great  advan- 
tage  the  basaltic  rocks*  which  constitute  the  distinguishing  feature  of 
the  coast,  and  the  smooth  sand  and  pebbly  beach  that  lie  at  their 
base  when  the  surging  waves  retire.  Our  first  stage  to  Glenarm,  a 
distance  of  1 1  miles,  led  us  near  to  some  high  and  picturesque  circular 
precipices  called  the  Sallagh  Braes,  and  past  the  ruins  of  Cairne  Castle 
and  Shaw's  Castle,  the  latter  the  ancient  residence  of  an  extinct  family 
of  the  name  it  bears  ;  while  half  a  dozen  miles  away  at  sea  were 
visible  the  Maidens,  a  group  of  dangerous  reefs,  against  which  many 
a  stout  bark  was  wrecked  ere  lighthouses  were  placed  upon  them 
in  1828. 

We  rounded  a  noble  promontory  into  Glenarm,  the  church-spire  first 
breaking  on  the  view,  and  the  towers  of  the  castle  immediately  after — 
the  whole  appearance  of  the  town  with  its  beautiful  surroundings 
resembling  the  moving  tableaux  of  theatrical  scenery.  We  lost  no 
time  in  making  for  the  castle,  and,  turning  out  of  the  street,  came 
directly  upon  a  handsome  bridge  which  crosses  a  small  mountain  stream, 
brawling  by  the  side  of  the  town,  and  leads  to  a  massive  gateway, 
through  which  and  beneath  a  leafy  avenue  we  approached  the  front  of 
the  comparatively  small  and  modern,  but  picturesque  baronial  residence 
of  the  Earl  of  Antrim,  covering  the  site  of  a  fortress  built  by  the 
MacDonnells  in  1639.  The  present  edifice,  erected  in  ancient  cas- 
tellated style,  and  furnished  with  modern  taste  and  elegance,  became 
the  residence  of  the  Earls  of  Antrim  in  1750,  after  the  destruction  of 
their  former  summer  abode  at  Ballymagarry.     It  occupies  a  commanding 

*  The  county  of  Antrim,  lying  between  Belfast  Lough,  Lough  Neagh,  the  River  Bann,  and  the  ocean, 
is  covered  with  a  great  stratum  of  limestone,  over  which  volcanic  masses  of  later  formation  have  been 
deposited,  greatly  altering  the  shape  and  composition  of  the  original  stratum,  and  not  only  covering  it,  but 
here  and  there  pushing  it  away  and  scattering  it  in  fragments  around.  The  chalk  limestone  is,  when  found 
on  the  surface,  as  white  as  snow,  while  the  volcanic  masses,  which  are  mostly  basalt,  are  very  dark, 
wherever  exposed  to  the  eye.  Along  the  entire  coast,  which  stretches  for  60  miles,  the  chalk  rocks  and 
basaltic  formations  are  observable  in  the  most  curious,  picturesque  and  diversified  forms ;  but  inland  the 
whole  is  covered  with  earth  and  vegetation. 


156 


BELFAST  AND   THE  ANTRIM  COAST. 


position,  which  affords  it  from  one  front  a  view  of  the  bay  and 
its  enclosing  promontories,  and  from  the  other  a  prospect  of  the  well- 
stocked  deer  park  and  wooded  glen,  which  penetrate  the  mountains  for 
about  three  miles.  The  river,  in  its  passage  through  this  glen  to  the 
sea,  leaps  down  the  rocks,  and  thus  produces  a  charming  succession 
of  pretty  waterfalls. 

The  small  town  carries  on  a  trade  with  the  neighboring  coast  of 
Scotland,  whither  it  principally  exports  lime,  the  product  of  the 
neighborhood,  for  the  manufacture  of  which  the  district  abounds  with 
kilns,  and  has  some  popularity  as  a  marine  watering-place.  In  the 
churchyard  are  some  remains  of  a  monastery,  founded  in  1465  by 
one  of  the  Bissetts,  from  the  marriage  of  whose  female  descendant 
the  neighboring  property  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  MacDonnells. 
Glenarm  is  the  only  haven  in  the  north  of  Ireland,  between 
Loughs  Foyle  and  Larne  ;  it  has  deep  water,  and  is  formed  by  a 
circular  winding  of  the  shore  and  protected  on  each  side  by  lofty 
headlands. 

There  is  a  pretty  legend,  embalmed  in  verse  by  Thomas  D  'Arcy 
McGee,  relative  to  the  heiress  of  Glenarm,  and  the  manner  in  which, 
with  her  "  broad,  broad  lands,"  she  was  won  by  MacDonnell  of  the 
Isles  over  his  rival,  MacQuillan,  then  Lord  of  Dunluce.  Although, 
we  are  told,  her  heart  inclined  toward  the  latter,  her  pride  dictated 
that  the  hand  to  put  a  ring  on  hers  must  prove  its  chieftainry,  and 
led  her  to  declare — 

"  But  not  in  the  lists  with  armed  hands 

Must  this  devoir  be  done  ; 
Yet  he  who  wins  my  broad,  broad  lands 

Their  lady  may  count  as  won. 
Ye  both  were  born  upon  the  shore — 

Were  bred  upon  the  sea  ; 
Now  let  me  see  you  ply  the  oar 

For  the  land  you  love — and  me  ' " 

And  she  promised  that  the  chief  who  could  first  touch  the  strand 
should  be  the  victor.  So,  upon  a  bright  summer's  day,  under  the 
watching  of  the  fair  lady  from  Glenarm's  lofty  battlements,  the  gallant 
oarsmen  were  marshalled  prow  to  prow,  and  then  bent  to  their  task. 
Away  over  the  waves  they  sped,  side  by  side  for  a  time,  but  as  they 


LEGEND  OF  GLEN  ARM. 


157 


approached  the  goal  MacDonnell  perceived  that  if  he  trusted  to  his 
prowess  the  prize  would  be  lost  to  him,  for — 

"  He  saw  his  rival  gain  apace — 

He  felt  the  spray  in  his  wake  ; 
He  thought  of  her  who  watched  the  race. 

More  dear  for  her  dowry  sake  ! 
Then  he  drew  his  skain  from  out  its  sheath, 

And  lopt  off  his  left  hand  ; 
And  pale  and  fierce  as  a  chief  in  death, 

He  hurled  it  to  the  strand  ! 

"  '  The  chief  that  first  can  grasp  the  strand, 

May  mount  at  morn  and  ride.' 
O,  fleet  is  the  steed  which  the  bloody  hand 

Through  Antrim's  glens  doth  guide  1 
And  legend  tells  that  the  proudc  ladye 

Would  fain  have  been  unbanned, 
For  the  chieftain  who  proved  his  chieftainry 

Lorded  both  wife  and  land."* 

With  an  easy  car,  a  stout  little  horse,  a  good-natured  driver,  and 
a  bright  sun,  it  would  have  been  difficult  not  to  have  enjoyed  our 
drive  from  Glenarm  to  Cushendall,  during  which  we  crossed  the  outlets 
of  several  deep  and  romantic  glens,  and  observed  that  there  was  not 
one  without  its  waterfall.  Over  one  or  two,  at  the  brow  of  the 
precipice  from  which  the  white  torrent  took  its  first  leap,  we  noticed 
light  bridges  in  the  vicinage  of  plantations,  indicating  park  scenery 
on  the  table  land  above.  After  we  had  passed  the  pretty  little 
watering-place  of  Carnlough,  belonging  to  the  Londonderry  family,  and 
when  we  had  traveled  nearly  half  way  to  Cushendall,  we  came  in 
sight  of  Garron  Tower,  a  modern  castellated  residence  erected  by  the 
late  Dowager  -  Marchioness  of  Londonderry  upon  the  acclivities  of 
Nachore   Hill.    From  the  summit  of  the  hill,  which  rises  over  a  small 

*  Another  version  of  this  legend,  one  which  we  believe  has  not  yet  received  a  poetic  dress,  places  the  scene 
at  Dunluce  Castle,  and  the  possession  of  that  fortress  during  the  feuds  of  the  MacQuillans  and  the  MacDonnells 
as  the  object  of  the  strife.  By  that  account  the  contestants,  in  the  presence  of  the  King  of  Scotland,  agreed  to 
leave  their  right  thereto  to  the  issue  of  a  row  from  Isla  to  Dunluce,  and  the  victory  fell  to  MacDonnell  in  the 
manner  narrated  in  the  poem.  A  third  version  of  the  legend  attaches  the  story  to  the  fortunes  of  the  O' Neils, 
and  narrates  that  the  event  occurred  upon  the  occasion  of  an  ancient  expedition  for  the  conquest  of  Ireland, 
when  the  leader  declared  that  the  territory  should  belong  to  the  follower  who  first  touched  the  shore,  when  the 
hero  of  the  occasion  became  the  founder  of  the  race  that  supplied  Ulster  with  kings  for  centuries.  Hence  a 
sinister  hand,  gules,  became  the  armorial  ensign  of  the  province,  while  two  severed  hands  are  quartered  in  the 
coat  of  arms  of  Lord  O'Neill. 


158 


BELFAST  AND  THE  ANTRIM  COAST. 


promontory  called  Garron  Point  to  the  height  of  1179  ^eet  above  the 
sea,  extensive  prospects  are  to  be  had  of  the  neighboring  Irish  coast  and 
the  opposite  Scottish  shores,  with  the  Atlantic  waters  surging  in  be- 
tween. Rounding  Garron  Point,  a  singular-looking  limestone  rock,  called 
the  Clough-i-Stookan,  was  seen  standing  isolated  upon  the  shore.  Time 
and  the  action  of  the  waves  have  given  it  the  contour  of  a  human 
being,  which  has  long  been  superstitiously  regarded  by  the  peasantry, 
as  it  emits  sounds  like  those  of  mariners  in  distress  when  the  moaning 
wind  penetrates  its  many  crevices.  Precipitous  cliffs,  deep  gorges  and 
ravines,  and  masses  of  fallen  rock  with  the  foliage  that  adorns  them, 
here  supply  many  a  pleasing  picture  to  the  passing  eye.  At  this  point 
we  came  upon  the  curve  of  Red  Bay,  so'  named  from  the  red  clay  of 
which  its  shores  are  composed.  It  is  the  most  beautiful  inlet  on  this 
coast,  and  is  situated  at  the  entrance  of  the  wild  vale  of  Glenariff, 
sometimes  called  Glen-aireamp,  the  Valley  of  Numbers,  and  Glen- 
aireachaib,  the  Valley  of  Caves,  up  which  is  a  waterfall  enjoying  the 
musical  name  of  Isnaleara.  This  vale  extends  into  the  interior  of 
the  county,  to  which  a  road  passes  through  it.  The  prospect  to  the 
west  is  terminated  by  the  lofty  conical  summit  of  Cruach-a-crue,  while 
that  to  ihe  north  is  limited  by  the  extraordinary  mountain  of  Lurgeidan, 
not  unlike  the  frustum  of  an  enormous  cone  of  considerable  altitude, 
but  whose  base  is  disproportionately  narrow,  and  upon  whose  summit 
both  Fin  MacCoul  and  Ossian  are  said  to  have  built  fortresses.  After 
passing  the  neglected  hamlet  of  Waterfoot,  at  the.  mouth  of  the 
Glenariff  River,  we  reached  the  caves  of  Red  Bay,  excavations  probably 
formed  at  some  remote  period  by  the  inroads  of  the  tide,  now  excluded 
by  an  embankment  in  a  species  of  soft  red  sandstone.  There  are 
three  of  tolerable  magnitude — one  for  years  appropriately  converted  into 
a  smith's  forge,  for  which  it  certainly  possesses  a  cyclopean  propriety. 
The  ruined  castle  of  Red  Bay  towered  above  us  as  we  passed  from 
a  lofty  arch  cut  through  the  southern  extremity  of  one  of  the  red 
cliffs.  Here  is  also  a  cave,  said  once  to  have  been  used  as  a  school. 
The  castle  was  built,  it  is  supposed,  by  the  Bissetts,  from  whom,  as 
we  have  shown,  the  Antrim  family  derive  this  barony. 

Between  the  pretty  villages  of  Cushendall  and  Cushendun,  are  to 
be  found  the  old  ruined  church  and  burial  ground  of  Layd,  where  it 


THE  VALLEY  OF  GLENDUN. 


159 


is  traditionally  reported  Ossian  was  interred,  notwithstanding  that  he  died 
before  the  foundation  of  Christian  churches,  and  the  entrances  to  the 
interesting  ravines,  Glendall,  Glenaan  and  Glendun,  which,  like  Glenariff, 
penetrate  the  mountains  for  several  miles,  and  which  pay  their  tributes 
to  the  sea,  the  first  two  conjointly  at  Cushendall,  and  the  last  at 
Cushendun,  the  prefix,  Cozs-abhann,  meaning  the  end  of  the  river.  From 
the  little  bay  of  Cushendun  to  Fairhead  the  mountains  touch  the  sea, 
except  at  the  inlet  of  Murlough,  not  even  leaving  space  for  a  road,  so 
that  of  necessity  one  has  been  carried  over  the  hills  and  across  the 
shoulder  of  the  promontory  of  Fairhead,  at  a  considerable  elevation, 
and  at  a  distance  of  two  or  three  miles  from  the  shore.  Tor  Head, 
a  promontory  six  miles  north  of  Cushendun,  is  the  nearest  point  of 
Ireland  to  Scotland,  being  only  12  miles  distant  from  the  Mull  of 
Cantyre,  and  in  some  old  maps  of  Elizabeth's  time  it  is  called  "  the 
Scots'  warning  fyre,'  from  the  Scots  who  had  settled  in  these  parts 
making-  fires  on  it  to  bring  over  their  friends  to  their  assistance  when 
about  to  be  assailed  by  the  English  or  Irish." 

The  road  from  Cushendall  to  Ballycastle  crosses  the  lower  end  of 
Glendun  by  a  fine  viaduct  of  three  arches,  80  feet  high,  two  miles 
above  Cushendun,  and  winds  up  the  hill  of  Carey,  the  principal  ridge 
lying  between  the  two  places,  presenting  on  the  ascent  fine  views  of 
the  glens  and  coast  beneath.  "  Whencesoever  viewed,  whether  from  the 
heights  overlooking  it,  from  the  top  of  the  viaduct,  or  from  the  mid- 
hill  road  on  either  side,"  Sir  John  Forbes  considers  that  "  this  valley 
of  Glendun  cannot  fail  to  strike  the  traveler  as  a  scene  of  no  common 
attraction  ;  "  and  adds,  "  while  looking  on  its  secluded  barriers,  its 
quiet  green  pastures,  its  white  cottages  scattered  about  among  the 
fields,  its  wooded  depths  by  the  river,  now  hiding,  now  disclosing  the 
shining  water,  and  lastly,  the  partial  gleam  of  the  distant  sea  through 
the  narrow  vista  of  its  hills — I  could  not  help  feeling  that  I  saw  before 
me  one  of  those  pregnant  scenes  which  so  readily  inspire  the  minds  of 
the  young  with  some  of  the  dearest  of  their  waking  dreams,  making 
them  think  and  say  with  the  youthful  poet  : — 

"  '  If  there's  peace  to  be  found  in  the  world, 
The  heart  that  is  humble  might  hope  for  it  here.'  " 

The  higher  ground  attained,  nothing  was  visible  but  moorland,  and  hill 


160 


BELFAST  AND   THE  ANTRIM  COAST. 


and  dale  ;  but  in  descending  the  opposite  slope  fine  views  were  presented 
on  the  left  of  Knocklayd,  1695  feet  high,  and  the  glens  which  lie  beneath 
it,  and  on  the  right  of  lesser  hills  and  other  glens,  and  of  the  bold 
promontory  of  Benmore,  or  Fairhead,  five  miles  away,  to  which  latter 
we  made  a  pedestrian  excursion  over  a  rugged  path,  after  we  had 
recruited  ourselves  with  a  night's  rest  at  Ballycastle. 

Fairhead  rises  perpendicularly  to  the  height  of  636  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea,  slightly  sloping  downwards  toward  the  mainland, 
and  is  the  highest,  boldest,  and  most  interesting  headland  on  the 
Antrim  coast.  On  approaching  its  summit  we  noticed  in  a  hollow  two 
small  lakes — Lough  Dhu,  the  Black  Lake,  and  Lough-na-Cranagh,  the 
Lake  of  the  Island,  the  latter  containing  in  its  centre  an  artificial 
island  of  black  basaltic  rock,  supposed  to  have  been  constructed  by 
the  Druids  as  a  site  for  the  performance  of  religious  ceremonies.  The 
view  from  the  head  is  most  enchanting,  presenting  on  the  west  the 
line  of  finely  variegated  limestone  and  basaltic  coast  as  far  as  Bengore 
Head,  including  the  beautiful  promontory  of  Kenbane,  or  Whitehead, 
majestically  presenting  its  snow-white  front  to  the  foaming  ocean,  the 
swinging-bridge  and  bay  of  Carrick-a-Rede,  and  Sheep  Island  ;  in  front 
the  Island  of  Rathlin,  and  to  the  east  and  south  the  cliffs  and  mountains 
of  Argyllshire  in  Scotland,  and  the  jutting  headlands  of  the  Antrim  coast 
as  far  as  Island  Magee,  with  the  pretty  seaside  villages  reclining  cosily  at 
the  feet  of  the  sombre  mountains  which  protect  them  from  the  western 
blasts. 

The  promontory  is  formed  of  a  number  of  greenish  basaltic  colossal 
pillars,  many  of  much  larger  size  than  those  at  the  Causeway,  in  some 
instances  exceeding  200  feet  in  length  and  five  in  breadth,  and  one  of  the 
tallest  forming  a  quadrangular  prism  33  feet  by  36  at  the  sides,  said  to  be 
the  largest  basaltic  pillar  known  upon  the  face  of  the  globe,  exceeding  in 
diameter  the  pedestal  of  the  statue  of  Peter  the  Great  at  St.  Petersburg, 
and  considerably  surpassing  in  length  the  shaft  of  Pompey's  Pillar.  At 
the  foot  of  this  magnificent  colonnade  is  an  immense  mass  of  rock 
similarly  formed — a  wide  waste  of  natural  ruins  supposed  to  have  been 
in  the  course  of  successive  ages  thrown  down  from  their  original 
foundation,  either  by  storms  or  some  violent  disturbance  of  nature. 
Many  of  these  massive  bodies  have  withstood  the  shock  of  their  fall, 


\ 


F AIRHEAD  AND  BALLYCASTLE.  101 

and  lie  in  groups  and  clumps  of  pillars,  resembling  varieties  of  artificial 
ruins,  and  forming  a  very  novel  and  striking  picture,  the  deep  waters  of 
the  sea  rolling  at  their  base  with  a  full  and  heavy  swell. 

These  natural  ruins  are  approached  from  the  summit  by  the  descent 
of  the  Fhir  Leith,  or  the  Gray  Man's  Path,  running  through  a  mighty 
chasm,  the  entrance  to  which  is  extremely  narrow ;  and  a  column  of 
basalt,  which  has  fallen  across  it,  forms  a  sort  of  natural  gateway,  through 
which  the  bold  inquirer  must  descend,  conducting  to  a  gradually  expanding 
passage  which  leads  to  the  base.  The  shore  in  the  neighborhood  is 
beautifully  indented  with  coves,  produced  partly  by  the  action  of  the  sea, 
and  partly  by  the  wear  of  the  mountain  torrents.  One  of  these  latter 
forms  a  fine  fall,  called  the  Leap,  in  rainy  seasons  an  object  of  great 
beauty. 

The  little  town  of  Ballycastle  dates  back  from  the  erection  of  a 
"  faire  castle"  in  1609,  DY  Randolph,  Earl  of  Antrim,  but  may  almost  be 
said  to  owe  its  orio-in  to  a  orentleman  named  Huorh  Bovd,  to  whom 
Alexander,  Earl  of  Antrim,  granted  in  1736  a  lease  in  perpetuity  of  the 
neighboring  coal  fields;*  and  it  was  advanced  in  1770  by  the  erection 
of  a  harbor  under  the  auspices  of  the  Irish  Parliament,  to  promote  the 

*  The  coal  mines  are  situated  on  the  shore  between  Ballycastle  and  Fairhead,  the  beds  of  the  mineral 
extending  under  the  headland  to  Murlough  Bay  on  its  eastern  coast.  The  collieries  have,  at  different 
periods,  occupied  the  attention  of  speculators  ;  but  a  more  than  ordinary  interest  is  attached  to  them  from 
a  discovery  made  about  1770.  Mr.  Hamilton,  in  his  "  Letters  on  the  Antrim  Coast,"  says  that  at  that  time, 
while  the  miners  were  pushing  forward  an  adit  towards  the  bed  of  coal  in  an  unexplored  part  of  the  cliff,  they  broke 
through  the  rock  into  a  narrow  passage,  so  much  contracted  and  choked  up  with  various  drippings  and  deposits  on 
its  sides  and  bottom,  as  to  render  it  impossible  for  any  of  the  workmen  to  enter.  Two  lads,  therefore,  crept  in  with 
candles,  for  the  purpose  of  exploration  ;  and  after  proceeding  for  a  considerable  time,  with  much  labor  and 
difficulty,  entered  an  extensive  labyrinth,  diverging  into  numerous  apartments,  in  the  mazes  and  windings  of  which 
they  were  completely  bewildered  and  lost.  After  many  vain  attempts  to  return,  their  lights  were  extinguished,  and 
their  voices  became  hoarse  and  exhausted  with  frequent  shouting  ;  and  then,  completely  fatigued,  they  sat  down  in 
utter  despair.  Meanwhile  their  friends,  alarmed  for  their  safety,  used  equal  exertions  to  indicate  their  presence,  but 
in  vain.  At  length,  it  occurred  to  one  of  the  boys  that  the  sound  of  his  hammer  against  a  stone  would 
be  better  heard  than  the  sound  of  a  human  voice  ;  and  the  artifice  succeeded  in  directing  their  friends  to 
their  whereabouts,  and  they  were  rescued  after  an  absence  of  12  hours.  This  incident  ultimately  led  to  the 
discovery  of  36  chambers,  all  well-trimmed  and  dressed  ;  also  of  baskets  and  mining  implements  of  a  rude 
character,  and  of  candles  with  wicks  formed  of  rags  ;  and  later,  of  a  globular  stone  hammer,  which  the  finder, 
Mr.  Barrow,  inferred  was  used  in  the  coal  mine  before  weapons  of  iron  were  invented.  No  tradition  exists  of  the 
first  working  of  this  mine  ;  and  the  peasantry,  who  attribute  all  marks  of  antiquity  in  the  kingdom  to  the  Danes  or 
the  giants,  assign  this  to  the  former — a  conclusion  in  which  Mr.  Hamilton  does  not  agree.  One  argument,  however, 
in  favor  of  the  antiquity  of  the  collieries  is  derived  from  the  fact  that  the  castle  on  Rathlin  Island,  occupied  by 
Robert  Bruce  in  1306,  appears  to  have  been  built  with  lime  bumed  with  sea-coal,  some  cinders  of  which  may  still 
be  detected  in  the  mortar,  and  bear  a  strong  resemblance  to  Ballycastle  coals. 
II— 50 


162 


BELFAST  AND  THE  ANTRIM  COAST. 


extension  of  mining  operations.  But  not  only  these  latter,  but  many 
industries  which  Mr.  Boyd  had  established  were  eventually  abandoned 
for  want  of  success.  The  town  is  pleasantly  situated  at  the  base  of 
Knockloyd  {Cnoc-leithid,  hill  of  breadth),  from  the  top  of  which,  we  were 
informed,  fine  views  are  obtainable.  Close  by  are  the  ruins  of  the  Abbey 
of  Bonamargy,  supposed  to  have  been  erected  in  1 509  by  Somarle 
MacDonnell,  commonly  called  Sorely  Boy  or  Yellow  Surley,  and  for 
generations  the  burying-place  of  the  Antrim  family.  Ballycastle  contains 
about  1700  inhabitants,  and  is  divided  into  two  parts,  upper  and  lower, 
connected  by  an  avenue  of  trees,  the  lower  portion  being  denominated 
"The  Quay."  It  is  the  town  at  which  persons  who  approach  the  Giant's 
Causeway  by  the  road  along  which  we  traveled  usually  rest,  ere  they 
sally  forth  to  visit  those  natural  basaltic  wonders,  whither  it  is  a  two 
hours'  drive. 

The  magnificent  road  upon  which  we  entered  at  Larne,  terminates 
at  Ballycastle.  Here,  it  hangs  upon  the  mountain's  edge,  with  the  briny 
waves  lashing  its  other  side — there,  it  penetrates  the  rock,  to  emerge 
into  daylight  some  distance  beyond — at  one  place  it  spans  a  lovely 
valley,  and  then,  creeping  up  a  mountain  side,  plants  you  amidst  wild 
and  rugged  scenery — further  on  it  takes  you  downhill  again,  and  places 
before  you  still  more  enticing  pictures — while  all  along  it  is  an  ever- 
changing  kaleidoscope  of  marvelous  scenic  effects.  In  fact,  if  the 
engineer  of  the  splendid  coast  road  of  Antrim,  constructed  in  the  fourth 
decade  of  the  century  had  worked  with  a  poet  and  painter  at  his  back, 
he  could  not  have  laid  out  its  course  more  agreeably  to  the  eye  and 
the  imagination.  It  is  planned  with  equal  skill,  taste,  and  enterprise — 
cliffs  cut  through,  chasms  crossed,  water-courses  bridged — and  the  result 
is  a  roughly-ribbed  and  jagged  coast,  traversed  by  a  road  as  smooth  and 
almost  as  level  as  a  tennis-court.  We  were  surprised  at  the  excellence 
of  the  roads  all  over  Ireland,  but  at  none  so  agreeably  as  this.  Before 
the  construction  of  this  new  highway  the  only  means  of  reaching  the 
villages  upon  the  coast  was  over  most  difficult  roads,  that  crossed  the 
mountains  at  great  elevations,  and  were  almost  impassable  to  carriages. 
They  afforded,  however,  as  some  compensation  for  the  labor  of  traveling 
upon  them,  most  extensive  prospects  of  the  neighboring  country  and  the 
Scottish  and  Irish  coasts. 


KENBANE  CASTLE  AND  RATH  LIN  ISLAND. 


103 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE   GIANT'S  CAUSEWAY. 

Kenbane  Castle — Rathlin  Island  and  Bruce  s  Castle — Carrick-a-Rede  and  its  flying-bridge — 
Dunseverick  Castle — Bengore  Head — The  Giant's  Caitseway  and  its  fabulous  origin — First 
impressions  deceptive — Wonderful  natural  phenomenon — Measurement  and  geometrical  charac- 
teristics— Giant's  Organ,  Loom,  and  other  curious  basaltic  conformations — Giant's  Ampitheatre 
and  Chimney  Tops — The  Pleaskin — Indentations  of  the  coast — Dunkerry  and  Portcoon 
Caves —  Wonders  of  the  Causeway  contemplated — Dunluce  Castle  and  its  checkered  history — 
The  White  Rocks  and  the  Priest's  Hole — Portrush — Coleraine — Magilligan  and  Limavady. 

THE  road  which  extends  for  about  20  miles  beyond  Ballycastle  to  the 
Giant's  Causeway  and  the  railway  at  Portrush  is  of  the  same 
excellence  as  that  by  which  we  had  thus  far  skirted  the  Antrim  shore, 
but  like  the  last  few  miles  bleak  and  hilly,  yet  occasionally  affording 
noble  views.  Two  miles  northwest  of  the  first  named  place  we  came 
upon  Kenbane  Castle,  upon  a  promontory  of  the  same  name,  otherwise 
known  as  the  White  Head,  from  its  remarkable  chalk  formation  in  the 
midst  of  basalt.  At  present  but  little  remains  of  the  ancient  fortress 
except  a  part  of  the  massive  walls  of  the  tower  or  keep,  whose  bold 
and  romantic  position  adds  not  a  little  to  the  effect  of  the  scenery  of  the 
remarkably  rugged  coast.  Though  tradition  attributes  the  foundation  of 
the  structure  to  an  Irish  sept,  named  MacHendrie,  its  peculiar  character 
would  seem  to  indicate  that  it  was  originally  a  stronghold  for  the 
protection  of  the   English  settlers. 

Rathlin,  Reachrainn,  or  Raghery  Island,  called  Ricina  by  Ptolemy, 
lies  four  or  five  miles  from  the  coast  at  this  point,  and  is  a  conspicuous 
feature  in  all  views  to  the  seaward,  which  have  for  a  background  in 
fine  weather  the  misty  tops  of  the  highlands  of  Argyll.  The  basaltic 
formation  of  the  island  leads  to  the  conclusion  that  it  was  once 
connected  with  the  mainland,  and    the    Rev.   William   Hamilton  was  of 


164 


THE  GIANT'S  CAUSEWAY. 


opinion  that,  standing  as  it  does  between  the  Irish  and  Scottish  coasts, 
it  is  perhaps  the  surviving  fragment  of  a  large  tract  of  country,  at  some 
period  of  time  overwhelmed,  that  ages  ago  united  Staffa  and  the  Giant's 
Causeway.*    At  Doon  Point,  on  the  southeastern  side,  the  disposition  of 
the  basaltic  columns  is  very  remarkable.     The  base  is  a  natural  pier  or 
mole,    above   which    rests   a   collection   of  columns   of  a   curved  form, 
apparently  assumed  in  conformity  with  the  surface  on  which  they  lie,  and 
inducing  a  belief  that  they  were  so  molded  when  in  a  state  of  fusion, 
while    the    whole    is    surmounted    by  a   variety    of  differently  grouped 
columns,  partaking  of  every  position  in  which  basalt  has  been  discovered 
in  other  places.     Rathlin   Island  consists  of  3398  acres,  of  which  about 
one-fourth  is  arable  and  pasture,  and  is  of  the  shape  of  a  sock,  with 
the   heel   pointing   toward   Scotland,  and    the    toe    towards  Fairhead, 
whence  it  is  distant  about  three  miles.    The  length  of  the  leg  running 
from  west  to  east,  is  over  five  miles,  of  the  foot  about  four  miles,  and 
the  width  about  a  mile.    The  peculiar  beauty  of  the  island  consists  in 
its  high  surrounding  cliffs,  which  maintain  their  greatest  elevation  of  447 
feet  at  Slieve-a-carn,  on    the    northwest   coast,  while  they  scarcely  ever 
fall  below   180  feet.     It  is  the  property  of  a  gentleman  named  Gage, 
who  resides  among  his  tenantry,  over  whom  he  exercises  patriarchal  sway. 
St.   Columb,  who  founded  a  church  in   Iona  in  the  sixth  century,  also 
erected   one   here,  probably   as   a   half  way  house   to   his  many  other 
establishments  in  the  island  of  Saints.    The  peculiar  position  of  Rathlin 
led  to  its  being  subjected  to  the  earliest  assaults  of  the  Danes,  and  to 
its  being  so  sacked  alternately  by  the  English  and  Scotch  that  in  1580  it 
became  depopulated.     Robert  Bruce,  upon  being  driven  out  of  Scotland 
by  Baliol  in   1306,  was  for  a  time  concealed  upon  the  island  in  a  castle 
which  has  been  given  his  name,  and  in  which  it  is  said  he  was  taught 
the  lesson  of  perseverance  by  the  toiling  spider.    Some  slight  remains 
of  the  fortress  are  still  visible  near  to  the  outer  angle  of  the  island 
surmounting  a  lofty  precipice  separated    from    the  mainland  by  a  deep 
chasm. 

*  It  was  this  gentleman's  "Letters  concerning  the  Northern  Coast,"  published  in  1786,  that  first  directed 
public  attention  toward  the  Giant's  Causeway  ;  and  a  stone  over  the  Pleaskin,  his  accustomed  seat  while 
surveying  its  beauties,  has  obtained  the  name  of  "  Hamilton's  Chair."  Mr.  Hamilton,  in  his  capacity  of 
magistrate  of  Donegal  having  excited  the  animosity  of  some  lawless  men,  was  on  March  22d,  1797,  brutally 
murdered  by  them  when  on  a  visit  to  a  friend  near  Lough  Swilly. 


CARRICK-A-REDE  AND  ITS  FLYIXG-BRIDGE. 


1C5 


When  we  had  traveled  half  way  from  Ballycastle  to  the  Causeway 
we  pulled  up  at  Carrick-a-Rede,  an  insulated  rock  separated  from  the 
mainland  by  a  tremendous  rent,  evidently  the  result  of  some  terrific 
convulsion  of  nature.  Its  name  is  attributed  by  Mr.  Hamilton  to 
Carrig-a-ramhad,  "  the  rock  in  the  road,"  because  it  intercepts  the  passage 
of  the  salmon  along  the  coast  ;  and  by  Mr.  Drummond  to  Carrig-a- 
drockthcad,  the  rock  of  the  bridge.  The  summit  of  this  basaltic  island  is 
on  a  level  with  the  mainland  with  which  it  is  connected  by  a  bridge  of 
ropes,  which  spans  a  yawning  abyss,  after  the  manner  of  the  rope 
suspension  bridges  of  the  Andes  in  South  America.  The  chasm  is  60 
feet  wide  and  84  feet  deep,  and  the  flying-bridge  spanning  it  is  formed 
by  the  fastening  to  rings,  firmly  fixed  to  the  opposite  rocks,  of  two  strong- 
cables,  upon  which  a  boarded  pathway  is  placed,  while  above  and  on  one 
side  a  third  cable  is  stretched  for  a  handrail.  Any  irregularity  in 
planting  the  foot  upon  the  boards  would  result  in  a  recoil  that  would 
be  apt  to  precipitate  the  unguarded  and  courageous  venturer  into  the 
deep  chasm  below.  Persons,  however,  accustomed  to  walk  along  planks 
may  safely  venture  over,  and  the  women  and  boys  attached  to  the  fishery 
carry  great  loads  across  with  apparent  ease  and  the  utmost  contempt  of 
danger  ;  but  timid  and  nervous  persons  should  on  no  account  hazard 
the  experiment.  The  chief  use  of  this  insulated  rock  appears  to  be  that 
of  interrupting  the  salmon,  who  annually  coast  along  the  shore  in  search 
of  rivers  in  which  to  deposit  their  spawn.  Their  passage  is  generally 
made  close  to  the  shore,  so  that  Carrick-a-Rede  is  very  opportunely 
situated  for  projecting  the  interrupting  nets.  It  might  be  asked  why  the 
fishermen  do  not  spare  themselves  the  trouble  of  throwing  this  very 
dangerous  bridge  across,  and  approach  the  island  by  water  ;  but  the 
latter  is  impracticable,  owing  to  the  extreme  perpendicularity  of  the 
basaltic  cliffs  on  every  side,  except  in  one  small  bay.  and  that  only  acces- 
sible at  particular  periods.  Carrick-a-Rede  is  two  and  a  half  acres  in 
extent,  and  has  upon  it  a  cottage  occupied  by  persons  connected  with  the 
fishery  during  the  season  ;  but  when  that  is  over  it  is  vacated  and  the 
bridge  of  ropes  removed.  The  scenery  of  the  spot  is  not  otherwise  sus- 
ceptible of  change,  as  there  is  not  a  tree  within  sight,  and  the  grass  on 
the  summit  is  as  bright  in  winter  as  in  spring.  The  cliffs  near  the  island 
contain  a  very  beautiful  cave,  about  30  feet  in  height,  formed  entirely  of 


166 


THE  GIANT'S  CAUSEWAY. 


columnar  basalt,  of  which  the  bases  appear  to  have  been  removed,  so 
that  the  unsupported  polygonal  columns  compose  the  cave. 

Soon  after  leaving  Carrick-a-Rede  we  passed  through  the  rude  little 
hamlet  of  Ballintoy  at  the  foot  of  the  gorse-covered  hill  of  Lannimore, 
with  the  uninteresting  little  Sheep  Island  on  our  right,  but  found  nothing 
to  attract  our  attention  till  we  reached  Dunseverick  Castle,  on  the 
summit  of  a  detached  and  lofty  rock,  with  a  surface  of  about  half  an 
acre,  elevating  its  head  near  the  centre  of  a  small  bay.  Though  now 
a  heap  of  ruins,  it  must  have  been  once  an  impenetrable  stronghold. 
Immense  masses  of  the  cliff  have  been  hewn  away,  evidently  for  the 
purpose  of  rendering  the  fortress  as  inaccessible  as  possible ;  and  an 
enormous  basaltic  rock,  south  of  the  entrance,  appears  to  have  been  cut 
of  a  pyramidal  form,  and  flattened  on  the  top,  perhaps  as  a  station  for 
a  warder,  or  as  a  support  for  some  engine  of  defence.  This  place  is 
supposed  to  have  been  the  Dun-Sovarke,  the  fortress  of  Sovarke,  about 
which  there  are  vague  statements  in  ancient  Irish  history.  The  security 
afforded  by  the  detached  rock,  standing  more  than  120  feet  above  the 
water,  would,  without  doubt,  cause  it  to  be  selected  by  the  early  settlers 
as  a  defensible  position.  But  of  the  original  fortress,  probably  erected 
before  the  introduction  of  Christianity  into  Ireland,  there  are  no  remains. 
The  castle  represented  by  these  ruins,  though  originally  of  great  strength, 
the  walls  being  eleven  feet  in  thickness,  is  evidently  of  an  age  not  ante- 
rior to  the  English  invasion,  and  was  most  probably  erected  by  the 
M'Ouillans,  who  entered  Ireland  with  the  earliest  English  adventurers, 
and  was  almost  continuously  possessed  by  them  up  to  the  reign  of 
Elizabeth.  It  is  known,  however,  to  have  been  held  for  a  time  by  the 
O'Cahans  or  O'Haras,  who  settled  in  Antrim  about  the  thirteenth 
century. 

After  passing  Dunseverick  Castle,  the  road  turns  away  from  the 
shore,  and  makes  nearly  straight  for  the  Causeway,  leaving  far  on  the 
right  the  promontory  of  Bengore  Head,  which  though  more  limited  in 
extent,  is  scarcely  inferior  in  grandeur  to  that  of  Fairhead.  We 
looked  out  anxiously  for  the  Causeway  ;  but  even  when  within  half  a 
mile  of  it,  the  headlands  appeared  more  attractive  than  the  low  line 
of  shore  pointed  out  to  us  by  the  driver ;  and  after  inspecting  Fair- 
head,   the  whole  of   this  shore  line  of  coast    might  be    passed    by  the 


BABBLING  GUIDES  AND  BASALTIC  WONDERS. 


167 


undirected  traveler  without  suspicion  of  a  neighborhood  of  wonders  equal 
to  those  left  behind.  A  good  hotel  and  a  few  scattered  tenements, 
but  hardly  enough  to  be  collectively  dignified  by  the  name  of  a 
village,  constitute  the  only  habitations  at  the  Causeway  ;  but  they 
are  sufficient  to  turn  out  an  army  of  bewildering  guides  and  babbling 
pedlars  of  mineral  specimens,  who  torment  the  tourist  almost  as  much 
as  their  kith  and  kin  at  Glendalough  and  the  Lakes  of  Killarney. 
These,  however,  assume  a  more  intellectual  bearing  than  their  Wicklow 
and  Kerry  brethren,  whose  sacred  and  legendary  lore  of  saints  and  fairies 
they  utterly  disdain,  and  in  lieu  thereof  assume  the  mystified  air  of 
philosophers,  puffed  up  with  a  plethora  of  geological  jargon  and  a 
profound  knowledge  of  pentagons,  hexagons,  and  octagons.  Still,  they 
are  not  without  superstition,  but  it  is  of  a  marine  character  and  of  a 
terrible  nature.  Having  provided  ourselves  with  as  good  a  cicerone  as 
we  could  obtain,  we  were  led  down  a  slippery  and  stony  road,  cut  in 
the  side  of  the  hill,  which  concealed  the  object  of  our  visit  from  our 
view  ;  and  then,  rounding  its  shoulder,  we  descended  to  a  small  mound, 
from  which  we  obtained  a  birds-eye  view  of  The  Giant's  Causeway.* 
We  were  at  too  great  a  distance  to  distinguish  any  peculiarity  in  the 
formation,  except  the  lines  of  the  basaltic  pillars  indistinctly  marking 
the  face  of  a  distant  cliff,  and  we  were  naturally  disappointed  with  the 
first  glance ;  but  as  we  descended  to  the  shore,  and  approached  nearer 
around  the  bend  of  the  bay,  it  seemed  to  us  that  the  ruins  of  some 
templed  and  gigantic  city,  hurled  from  the  sky.  were  heaped  up  before 

*  Numerous  traditions  attempt  to  account  for  this  wonderful  natural  production,  but  nearly  all  of  them  are 
variations  of  the  following  story :  Fingal,  or  Fin  M'Coul,  the  champion  giant  of  Ireland,  felt  sore  at  the  insolent 
boastings  of  Benandonner,  a  Scottish  Goliah,  who  declared  he  would  beat  all  comers,  and  taunted  Fin  with  the 
assurance  that  he  would  visit  Ireland  and  give  him  a  drubbing,  were  it  not  that  he  would  get  wet  by  swim- 
ming over.  This  led  Fin  to  crave  permission  of  the  Irish  king  that  he  might  construct  a  causeway  between 
the  two  countries,  for  the  dry  passage  of  the  boasting  Scotchman,  which  of  course  the  sovereign  could  not 
refuse  to  so  powerful  a  subject.  Benandonner  being  thus  left  without  a  pretext  walked  over  and  fought  the 
Irishman,  who  not  only  won  the  battle,  but  afterwards  generously  invited  his  rival  to  take  an  Irish  wife  and 
settle  in  the  country.  This  kind  bidding  having  been  accepted,  the  causeway  was  no  longer  needed,  so  it  was 
sunk  under  the  sea,  except  the  ends  on  the  opposite  shores,  which  were  left  to  prove  the  authenticity  of  the 
story.  "So  much  of  truth  probably  lies  at  the  bottom  of  this  fable,"  says  Kohl,  "that  the  basaltic  formations 
on  the  opposite  coast  of  Scotland,  of  the  Giant's  Causeway,  and  of  the  island  of  Staffa  in  the  Hebrides, 
are  all  probably  of  contemporaneous  origin,  and  attributable  to  the  same  natural  causes ;  and  it  is  by  no  means 
unlikely  that  colonnades  connecting  these  three  points  are  continued  beneath  the  ocean  which,  as  they  say,  is 
thus  paved  with  basalt." 


168 


THE  GIANT'S  CAUSEWAY. 


us  in  a  pile  of  confused  architecture.  The  Giant's  Causeway,  indeed, 
resembles  nothing  so  much  as  a  mass  of  hewn  stones — -frusta  of  noble 
columns — remnants  of  vast  porticoes,  cast  down  from  a  height  into  the 
sea  ;  while  the  upright  and  regular  pillars  in  the  face  of  the  cliff  give 
you  an  impression  that  there  is  a  city  overwhelmed  and  buried  behind 
them  ;  and  the  disinterred  Pompeii  itself  was  not  so  like  as  this  to  the 
idea  we  had  formed  of  Pompeii  before  visiting  Italy. 

Our  guide  piloted  us  to  the  vast  projecting  piers  which  descend  from 
the  base  of  these  mountain  facades  into  the  sea,  and  supply  the  name 
by  which  this  wonderful  work  of  nature  is  popularly  known.  Sir  John 
Forbes  concludes  from  his  own  preconceived  views  that  the  ordinary 
notion  of  the  Causeway  entertained  by  persons  previous  to  visiting  it, 
"  is  a  huge  and  lofty  rocky  promontory  composed  of  basaltic  columns, 
and  stretching  out,  in  an  isolated  form,  into  the  main  sea."  The  truth 
however  he  discovered  to  be  that  "  what  is  properly  termed  the  Cause- 
way, is  by  no  means  a  scenic  feature  of  this  magnitude  or  grandeur, 
and  constitutes  only  a  small  portion  of  the  sights  usually  comprehended 
under  the  one  generic  name  of  the  Giant's  Causeway."  The  Causeway 
itself,  he  adds,  "  has  indeed  neither  grandeur  nor  scenic  beauty  ;  its 
charm  and  overpowering  interest  being  derived  from  quite  a  different 
source  :  while  the  ranges  of  cliffs  that  bound  it  behind  and  stretch  along 
the  shore  to  the  eastward  of  it,  exhibit  so  wonderful  a  combination 
of  those  twin  charms,  as  is,  I  believe,  hardly  to  be  paralleled  else- 
where." 

The  Causeway,  properly  so-called,  is  a  low,  pier-like  mass  of  columnar 
rock,  sloping  gently  upwards  from  the  water,  under  which  its  outer 
extremity  is  evidently  submerged  ;  and  it  is  from  the  accessible  extremity 
of  this  pier  that  Mr.  Bartlett  has  depicted  his  Scene  on  The  Giant's 
Causeway.  It  is,  in  fact,  the  denuded  upper  surface  of  the  lowest 
stratum  of  columnar  basalt,  the  higher  strata  of  which  only  present 
themselves  to  the  eastward  at  Pleaskin,  and  will  be  noticed  directly. 
The  Causeway,  further  remarks  Sir  John  Forbes,  "  may  be  generally 
described  as  consisting  of  three  collateral  piers  or  rocky  ledges,  one 
higher,  longer  and  larger,  the  eastern  ;  the  others  shorter  and  smaller ; 
each  running  to  a  point  where  they  disappear  under  the  water.  The 
eastern   margin  of  the  larger  pier  rises  up  boldly  from  the  shore  so  as 


DIMENSIONS  OF  THE  CAUSEWAY. 


169 


to  present  a  vertical  columnar  wall,  35  feet  in  height,  the  individual 
columns  being  perfectly  distinct  from  top  to  bottom.  This  portion  goes 
by  the  name  of  the  Loom.  The  central  pier,  which  is  of  a  pyra- 
midal configuration,  rises  in  its  central  part,  termed  the  Honeycomb, 
to  the  height  of  30  feet  ;  and  the  smallest  or  northwestern  pier  is  still 
lower.  Towards  the  landside  the  columns  are  broken  off,  and  may  be 
said  to  be  submerged  under  the  mass  of  sand  and  fragments  of  broken 
rock  heaped  upon  the  shore.  There  is  a  very  short  space  of  flat  ground 
between  the  inner  extremity  of  the  Causeway  and  the  rocky  amphitheatre 
behind  it.  In  the  face  of  this  there  are  many  patches  of  exposed 
columnar  basalt.  One  of  these  immediately  behind  the  Causeway  is 
called  the  Horizontal  Pillars,  because  the  prisms  project  horizontally  out 
of  the  cliff ;  and  another  to  the  eastward  of  the  Causeway,  called  the 
Giant's  Organ,  exhibits  a  fine  display  of  vertical  columns,  conveying  the 
impression  as  if  they  were  supports  of  the  mountains  above  them." 

The  exact  dimensions  of  the  whole  Causeway,  as  taken  by  a  surveyor 
under  Sir  John  Forbes'  direction,  are  as  follows : 

SUPERFICIAL  EXTENT. 

Length  of  Grand  Causeway  from  N.  to  S.  to  low  water  mark,  - 
Breadth  of  Grand  Causeway  from  E.  to  W.,        -  -  - 

Length  of  Middle  Causeway  from  N.  to  S.,  -         -  -  -  - 

Breadth  of  Middle  Causeway  from  E.  to  W.,      -         -  -  - 

Length  of  Little  or  Western  Causeway,  _____ 
Breadth  of  Little  or  Western  Causeway  from  E.  to  W.,  -  - 

Breadth  of  Whinstone  dyke  between  Middle  and  Grand  Causeway,  - 
Breadth  of  whole  three  Causeways  from  E.  to  W.,  -         -  _ 

HEIGHTS. 

Highest  point  of  Grand  Causeway  (Looms  at  S.  end)  above  low  water  mark, 
Height  of  N.  W.  point  of  Grand  Causeway,  _ 
Height  of  Honeycomb  in  Middle  Causeway,  -  -         -  - 

Height  of  Giant's  Well,  ------ 

Highest  point  of  Little  or  Western  Causeway,  -         -         —  - 

The  acute  observer,  to  whom  we  are  already  indebted,  adds  :  "  The 
individual  columns  of  the  Causeway  vary  greatly  in  size  as  well  as  in 
configuration,  exhibiting  every  number  of  sides  from  3  to  9,  and  having 
a  diameter  varying  from  15  to  26  inches.  The  great  majority,  however, 
have  5,  6,  or  7  sides  ;  a  few  have  4  and  8  ;  and  it  is  said  that  only  three 
are  found  with  9  sides,  and  only  one  with  3.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to 
n— si 


Feet. 
720 

-  180 
350 

-  100 
150 

-  80 
50 

-  410 

35 

-  13 
30 

6 
20 


170 


THE  GIANT'S  CAUSEWAY. 


state  that  the  individual  columns  are  all  divided  into  separate  portions, 
and  united  together  by  socketed  joinings,  a  concavity  in  one  correspond- 
ing to  a  convexity  in  the  other.  These  joinings,  though  perfectly 
distinct  and  visible,  are  so  close  and  fine  that  they  are  impervious  to 
water,  and  do  not  allow  the  different  pieces  to  be  separated,  except  by 
great  force.  The  length  of  the  distinct  pieces  or  joints  is  very  various, 
ranging  from  4  inches  to  4  feet.  One  of  the  pillars  of  the  Causeway  is 
said  to  have  38  joints.  There  is  no  fixed  rule  as  to  the  existence  of 
either  the  convexity  or  the  concavity  in  the  individual  pieces,  some 
having  two  convex  ends,  some  two  concave  ends,  and  some  one  convex 
and  one  concave.  In  no  case  is  the  concavity  or  convexity  great,  the 
vertical  extent  of  either  seldom  being  more'  than  an  inch,  generally  less. 
There  is  also  much  variety  as  to  the  width  of  these  concavities  or 
convexities,  the  outer  edge  of  them  sometimes  coming  quite  to  the  outer 
faces  of  the  columns,  sometimes  keeping  considerably  within  these. 
Whatever  be  the  configuration  of  the  columns,  they  are  almost  as  closely 
joined  together  laterally  as  the  individual  joints  are.  The  junction  is, 
in  fact,  purely  linear,  no  open  space  whatever  being  found,  so  that  they 
are  as  perfectly  water-tight  in  their  lateral  as  in  their  vertical  union.  As 
may  be  gathered  from  what  has  been  already  stated  respecting  the  height 
of  the  different  piers,  the  general  surface  of  the  whole  Causeway  is 
extremely  irregular,  only  a  very  small  portion  of  it  being  flat,  like  a 
mosaic  pavement." 

All  the  columns  constituting  the  three  portions  of  the  Causeway 
almost  imperceptibly  lean  inwards  towards  a  central  point,  owing,  it  is 
supposed,  to  their  standing  upon  a  concave  depression  in  the  upper 
surface  of  ochre  beds,  upon  which  they  rest.  Another  distinguishing 
feature  is  the  frequency  of  dykes  or  huge  veins  of  basalt,  cutting  the 
other  strata  across.  Two  of  these  are,  in  fact,  the  means  of  dividing  the 
Causeway  into  the  three  ranges  or  piers  of  which  it  is  composed.  In 
the  entire  visible  portion  of  the  Causeway  it  is  computed  there  are  from 
30,000  to  40,000  pillars,  the  majority  being  about  fifteen  inches  in  diam- 
eter. How  many  more  are  obscured  from  the  vision  it  is  impossible  to 
tell,  for  there  is  no  knowing  how  far  the  columns  run  out  beneath  the 
sea,  and  how  far  they  extend  back  into  the  land,  which  throws  over  them 
a  veil  as  impenetrable  as  that  of  ocean.    "  A  geologist,"  remarks  Kohl, 


THE  GIANT'S  AMPHITHEATRE. 


171 


"might  well  wish  in  his  despair,  to  transform  himself  into  a  mole,  in 
order  to  burrow  his  way  to  the  solution  of  these  interesting  problems, 
or  into  a  fish,  to  seek  them  beneath  the  '  watery  floor'  of  the  Atlantic." 

Among  other  wonders  there  is  also  the  Giant's  Well  (a  spring  of 
pure,  fresh  water,  forcing  its  way  up  between  the  joints  of  two  of  the 
columns),  the  Giant's  Chain,  the  Giant's  Bag-pipes,  the  Giant's  Gateway, 
and,  as  already  mentioned,  the  Giant's  Loom  and  the  Giant's  Organ,  the 
latter  a  beautiful  colonnade  of  pillars,  120  feet  long,  and  so  called  from 
its  accurate  resemblance  to  the  pipes  of  an  organ. 

Passing  eastward  from  the  larger  Causeway,  one  of  the  first  objects 
that  strikes  the  eye  is  the  Giant's  Amphitheatre,  which  Kohl  enthusiastic- 
ally proclaims  "  the  most  beautiful  amphitheatre  in  the  world,  that  in 
Rome  not  excepted.  The  form  of  it  is  so  exactly  half  a  circle  that  no 
architect  could  have  possibly  made  it  more  so,  and  the  cliff  slopes  at 
precisely  the  same  angle  all  round  to  the  centre.  Round  the  upper  part 
runs  a  row  of  columns  80  feet  high  ;  then  comes  a  broad,  rounded 
projection,  like  an  immense  bench,  for  the  accommodation  of  the  giant 
guests  of  Fin  M'Coul  ;  then  again  a  row  of  pillars  60  feet  high,  and  then 
again  a  gigantic  bench,  and  so  down  to  the  bottom,  where  the  water  is 
enclosed  by  a  circle  of  black  boulder  stones,  like  the  limits  of  the  arena. 
This  is  a  scene  in  speaking  of  which  no  traveler  need  fear  indulging  in 
terms  of  exaggeration,  for  all  that  he  can  say  must  remain  far  behind  the 
truth."  Continuing  to  the  eastward,  the  Giant's  Chimney  Tops  are 
observed  crowning  the  summit  of  a  promontory.  They  consist  of  three 
insulated  pillars,  the  tallest  about  45  feet  in  height,  and  received  their 
present  name  from  being,  when  more  numerous,  mistaken  for  the  chimneys 
of  Dunluce,  and  cannonaded  by  one  or  more  of  the  ships  of  the  Spanish 
armada  immediately  afterwards  wrecked  in  the  adjoining  bay,  hence  named 
Port-na-Spania.  Still  more  to  the  east  are  the  Priest  and  his  Flock,  the 
Nursing  Child,  and  the  King  and  his  Nobles,  which,  along  with  the 
Giant's  Pulpit,  Ball-Alley  and  Granny,  further  on,  receive  their  names 
from  their  peculiar  conformations,  and  are  generally  connected  with  some 
legend  or  other  more  easily  listened  to  than  believed. 

Pleaskin  Cliff,  to  which  we  have  already  referred,  is  situated  about 
two  miles  to  the  east  of  the  Causeway,  in  the  direction  of  Bengore  Head, 
and  is  commonly  asserted  to  be  the  most  beautiful  promontory  in  the 


172 


THE  GIANT'S  CAUSEWAY. 


world.  It  obtains  its  name  from  the  Irish  Plaisgcian,  signifying  "dry 
head,"  referring  to  its  elevation.  The  natural  basaltic  rock  here  lies  imme- 
diately under  the  surface.  About  twelve  feet  below  the  summit  the  rock 
begins  to  assume  a  columnar  tendency,  and  is  formed  into  ranges  of 
rudely  columnar  basalt,  in  a  vertical  position,  exhibiting  the  appearance 
of  a  grand  gallery,  whose  columns  measure  60  feet  in  height.  This 
basaltic  colonnade  rests  upon  a  bed  of  coarse,  black,  irregular  rock,  60 
feet  thick,  abounding  in  air-holes.  Below  this  coarse  stratum  is  a  second 
range  of  pillars,  45  to  50  feet  high,  more  accurately  columnar,  and  nearly 
as  accurately  formed  as  the  Causeway  itself.  From  the  base  of  this  lower 
tier  the  promontory,  covered  over  with  rock  and  grass,  slopes  down  to 
the  sea  for  the  space  of  200  feet  more,  making  in  all  a  mass  of  near 
400  feet  in  height.  The  cliff  appears  as  though  it  had  been  painted  for 
effect  in  various  shades  of  green,  vermilion,  red-ochre,  grey,  etc. — 
its  general  form  so  beautiful,  its  storied  pillars,  tier  over  tier,  so  archi- 
tecturally graceful — its  curious  and  various  stratifications  supporting  the 
columnar  ranges.  Here,  the  dark  brown  amorphous  basalt  ;  there,  the 
red-ochre,  and  below  that  again  the  slender  but  distinct  lines  of  wood- 
coal.  In  fact,  all  the  edges  of  its  different  stratifications  are  tastefully 
varied,  by  the  hand  of  nature,  with  grasses,  ferns,  and  rock-plants,  while 
in  the  various  strata  of  which  it  is  composed,  sublimity  and  beauty  have 
been  blended  together  in  the  most  extraordinary  manner. 

The  appearance  of  this  part  of  the  coast,  as  seen  from  the  water,  is 
that  of  a  precipitous  rock,  rising  directly  out  of  the  deep  sea  to  the 
height  already  given.  It  is,  however,  penetrated  by  an  irregular  succession 
of  indentations,  and  thus  forms  a  series  of  narrow  but  high  promontories, 
(alternated  by  narrow  bay-shaped  inlets  each  having  its  particular  name,) 
which  slope  sufficiently  landward  to  admit  of  a  scanty  covering  of 
verdure,  making  a  striking  contrast  to  the  rocky  ramparts  that 
shoot  perpendicularly  out  of  the  water.  It  is  curious  to  note,  too,  that 
though  only  two  beds  of  columnar  basalt  exist  at  Pleaskin,  one  above 
the  other,  still  further  to  the  east,  at  Portmoon,  at  least  four  are  discern- 
ible, though  two  are  not  very  distinct  ;  and,  more  strange  to  relate,  three 
of  them  appear  to  have  been  broken  off,  and  disappear  on  the  surface 
before  reaching  Pleaskin  ;  so  that  the  lowest  columnar  stratum  at 
Portmoon  becomes  the  uppermost  of  the  two  at  Pleaskin. 


DUiVKERRY  AND  PORTCOON  CAVES. 


173 


After  we  had  made  a  thorough  inspection  of  these  geological  wonders, 
we  were  rowed  past  the  Giant's  Causeway  to  its  western  side,  for  the 
purpose  of  visiting  two  remarkable  caves  caused  by  the  washing  out 
from  the  surrounding  strata  of  an  intruding  vein  or  whin-dyke.  The 
most  westerly  of  these,  called  Portcoon,  is  accessible  by  either  land  or 
water,  but  the  other,  Dunkerry  Cave,  can  only  be  approached  by  water. 
The  entrance  to  the  latter  presents  a  very  striking  and  grand  appearance 
of  a  regular  pointed  arch,  26  feet  in  breadth,  and  enclosed  between  two 
natural  walls  of  dark  basalt  ;  while  its  interior  is  about  700  feet  long, 
and  more  than  60  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  water  at  full  tide.  The 
margin  has  a  bordering  of  marine  plants  of  considerable  breadth,  and  the 
roof  and  sides  are  covered  with  green  conferva,  which,  though  slimy  to 
the  touch,  give  a  very  rich  and  beautiful  effect.  Not  the  least  curious 
circumstance  connected  with  a  visit  to  this  subterraneous  apartment  is 
the  motion  of  the  water  within.  The  boatmen  are  singularly  expert  in 
entering.  brins:inor  the  boat's  head  ri^ht  in  front  of  the  orifice  and  then, 
watching  the  roll  of  the  wave,  quickly  ship  their  oars  and  roll  in 
majestically  upon  the  smooth  heave  of  the  sea.  The  swell  of  the  sea 
upon  this  coast  is  at  all  times  heavy  ;  and  as  each  successive  wave  rolls 
into  the  cave,  the  surface  rises  so  slowly  and  awfully  that  a  nervous 
person  would  be  apprehensive  of  a  ceaseless  increase  in  the  elevation 
of  the  waters  until  they  reached  the  summit  of  the  cave.  Of  this, 
however,  there  is  not  the  most  distant  cause  for  dread,  the  roof  being,  as 
we  have  stated,  at  least  60  feet  above  hio-h-water  mark.  Before  the 
depth  of  the  cave  was  ascertained  the  inhabitants  of  some  cottages,  a 
mile  removed  from  the  shore,  were  wont  to  imagine  their  slumbers 
interrupted  in  the  winter's  night  by  the  subterranean  roaring  of  waters. 

The  western  or  Portcoon  Cave  is  45  feet  in  height  and  350  feet  in 
length.  Though  boats  may  row  within  50  feet  of  its  entire  length,  the 
swell  in  the  interior  is  sometimes  dangerous,  while  its  approach  by  land 
is  difficult  and  slippery  ;  yet  the  grandeur  of  the  cave  amply  repays  the 
exertion  required  to  view  it.  The  roof  and  sides  are  composed  of 
rounded  stones,  locally  known  as  "mill  wheels,"  the  largest  about  25  feet 
in  diameter,  embedded,  as  it  were,  in  a  basaltic  paste,  and  formed  of 
concentric  spheres,  like  an  onion.  The  innermost  recess  has  been  com- 
pared to  the  side  of  a  Gothic  cathedral ;  while  the  walls,  like  those  oi 


174 


THE  GIANT'S  CAUSEWAY. 


the  other  cave,  are  unpleasantly  slimy.  A  genial  writer  remarks  of  a 
visit  to  this  cave  :  "  When  the  day  is  fine,  and  the  sun  shining  in  all  its 
lustre,  it  is  truly  a  grand  and  interesting  sight.  The  sublime  massiveness 
of  the  surrounding  rocks — the  curious  stainings  and  colors  of  the  sides  of 
the  roof — the  musical  cadence  of  the  echoes — the  dark  mysteriousness  of 
its  retiring  recesses,  contrasted  with  the  brilliancy  of  all  without,  and  the 
slow,  solemn  heave  of  the  translucent  water,  bearing  idly  on  its  surface 
the  purple  sea-star,  and  revealing,  fathoms  deep  below,  multitudinous 
vegetations  covering  its  rocky  bottom.  I  do  not  wonder  that  mythology 
peopled  such  caverns  with  naiads,  and  goddesses,  and  tritons,  nor  did  I 
cease  to  expect  that  our  communicative  guide  would  be  able  to  annex  to 
such  a  spot  as  this  some  legendary  lore.  At  the  same  time,  I  confess 
I  did  not  find  him  in  this  instance  quite  fortunate.  To  be  sure,  he 
told  us  how  two  bold  sea-captains,  by  name  Willoughby  and  Middleton, 
not  content  with  listening  to  the  manifold  echoes  of  a  common  musket, 
must  needs  bring  into  this  cavern  a  six-pounder,  and  how,  on  discharg- 
ing it,  an  immense  mass  of  the  roof  fell  in,  whereby  their  lives  were 
placed  in  imminent  peril.  He  also  told  us  of  a  piper  who,  one  day, 
when  the  tide  was  out,  wandered  into  the  furthest  recesses,  no  doubt, 
curious  to  ascertain,  in  these  secret  solitudes,  the  peculiar  sound  of 
his  romantic  instrument.  Engaged  in  the  delights  of  his  sweet  craft,  he 
wandered  on  and  on,  none  could  tell  whither,  for  he  never  came  out ; 
nor  were  there  ever  any  tidings  of  him,  save  that  while  the  people  were 
at  prayers  in  the  church  of  Ballintoy,  and  just  as  the  clerk  was  about 
giving  out  the  first  Psalm,  the  sound  of  bagpipes  was  heard  under- 
ground, and  tunes  were  recognized  rising  up  from  beneath,  which  were 
rather  unsuitable  to  the  solemnity  of  the  place."  * 

The  term,  "  the  Giant's  Causeway,"  is  usually  taken  to  express,  in 
addition  to  the  basaltic  piers  themselves,  the  caves  to  the  westward  and 

*  In  1876,  an  enterprising  Yankee  "discovered"  in  one  of  these  caves,  the  fossil  remains  of  a  monster 
man  some  13  feet  from  top  to  toe,  ill-proportioned  in  build,  and  with  an  extra  toe  to  his  right  foot  ;  and  who 
from  a  fracture  in  the  head  and  cutaneous  marks,  showed  signs  of  having  shuffled  off  his  mortal  coil  from  the 
double  effect  of  small-pox  and  a  fall  from  some  adjoining  cliff — the  latter  probably  occurring  while  under  the 
influence  of  "potheen."  The  herculean  and  venerable  gentleman  was,  of  course,  at  once  pronounced  to  be  the 
original  giant  to  whom  the  Causeway  owes  its  creation,  and  his  limestone  remains  were  exhibited  as  such  at 
Belfast  in  exchange  for  British  shillings  ;  but  to  the  deprivation  of  science  and  history,  the  discoverer  and  the 
discovered  were  soon  lost  sight  of,  having  doubtless  departed  to  the  mazy  regions  where  exploded  nine  days' 
wonders  are  entombed. 


THE  STRANGE  SCENE  CONTEMPLATED. 


175 


the  cliffs  to  the  eastward,  which  latter  constitute  the  most  important 
feature  of  the  scene.  These  combined  extend  from  Portcoon  Cave  to 
Bengore  Head,  a  distance,  following  the  sinuosities  of  the  shore,  of  three 
and  a  half  miles — the  height  above  the  sea  ranging  from  140  to  390  feet, 
the  latter  that  of  Pleaskin.  The  cliffs  are  covered  with  smooth,  heathy, 
undulating  land,  accessible  along  the  whole  range  of  the  summits,  from 
the  higher  of  which  most  beautiful  and  extensive  views  are  obtainable. 

When  we  had  completed  our  survey  of  this  Causeway,  and  its  cognate 
columnar  cliffs,  and  the  dark  and  fearful  caverns — alike  washed  and  lashed 
by  the  briny  waters — we  were  in  a  fitting  state  of  mind  to  appreciate 
Thackeray's  contemplation  of  the  scene,  and  to  conclude  with  him  that, 
"  It  looks  like  the  beginning  of  the  world  somehow  ;  the  sea  looks  older 
than  in  other  places,  the  hills  and  rocks  strange,  and  formed  differently 
from  other  rocks  and  hills — as  those  vast  dubious  monsters  were  formed 
who  possessed  the  earth  before  man.  The  hill-tops  are  shattered  into  a 
thousand  cragged,  fantastical  shapes  ;  the  water  comes  swelling  into  scores 
of  little  strange  creeks,  or  goes  off  with  a  leap,  roaring  into  those 
mysterious  caves  yonder,  which  penetrate,  who  knows  how  far,"  into  our 
common  world  ?  The  savage  rocksides  are  painted  of  a  hundred  colors. 
Does  the  sun  ever  shine  here  ?  When  the  world  was  moulded  and 
fashioned  out  of  formless  chaos,  this  must  have  been  the  bit  over — a 
remnant  of  chaos!"  And  to  ask  with  Forbes,  "What  is  this?  How 
came  it  here  ?  Whence  did  it  come  ?  How  was  it  formed  ?  When  was 
it  formed  ?  Of  what  was  it  formed  ?  What  was  this  globe  of  ours  at 
the  time  it  was  formed  ?  What  before  ?  What  since  ?  Was  it  a  mere 
mass  of  inorganic  matter,  with  its  elements  in  repose  ? — with  its  elements 
in  strife  ?  Or  was  it,  as  now,  the  field  and  theatre  of  beautiful  life  ? 
Of  life  unconscious  ?  Of  life  self-conscious  ?  Of  both  ?  And — most  awful 
and  most  bewildering  thought  of  all — when — when  was  this?  How  long 
ago  ?  Was  it  at  the  distance  of  inconceivable  myriads  of  ages  before 
its  present  rational  lord  was  placed  upon  its  surface,  to  contemplate  it. 
to  investigate  it,  to  enjoy  it  ? " 

Though  the  eye  may  be  enchanted  and  amazed  by  a  thorough 
inspection  of  the  wonders  of  this  remarkable  corner  of  Ireland,  it  is  only 

*  At  the  time  of  Thackeray's  visit  the  depths  of  the  caves  had  not  been  ascertained,  and  strange  stories, 
like  those  we  have  mentioned,  were  related  of  their  impenetrable  extent. 


176 


THE  GIANT'S  CAUSEWAY. 


gratified  at  the  expense  of  physical  powers  ;  and  so,  after  the  completion 
of  our  survey,  we  were  not  unready  to  accept  the  accommodation  which 
the  inn  afforded  to  ravenous  humanity.     We  were  off  again,  however, 
as  soon  as  refreshed,  to  visit  Dunluce  Castle,  four  or  five  miles  further 
on  our  way  ;  and  shortly  after  passing  through  Bushmills,  a  little  village 
on  the  river  Bush,  that  finest  of  ruined  fortresses  broke  upon  us,  like 
an  apparition  in  the  road.     Dunluce  (Dun-lios,  the  strong  fort)  stands 
on   a  perpendicular  and  apparently  insulated  rock,   120  feet  above  the 
sea  level,  the  entire  surface  of  about  half  an  acre  being  so  completely 
occupied  by  the  edifice,  that  the  external  walls  are  in  continuation  of  the 
perpendicular  sides  of  the  rock.    These  walls  are  built  of  columnar  basalt, 
in  many  instances  so  placed  as  to  show  their  polygonal  sections,  and  were 
in  themselves  never   very  lofty ;   but  from  the  great  area  which  they 
enclosed  contained  a  considerable  number  of  apartments,  some,  evidently, 
additions  in  a  different  style  to  the  original  structure,  which  was  appar- 
ently of  limited  dimensions.    One  small    vaulted    room    is    said    to  be 
inhabited  by  a  banshee,  whose  chief  occupation,   it  is  asserted,  is  sweep- 
ing the  floor ;    but    its    cleanliness    is    undoubtedly  attributable    to  the 
fact  that  the  wind  gains  admittance  through  an  aperture  at    its  level, 
and  permanently  preserves  freedom  from  dust.    Another  small  room  on 
the  north-east,  said  to   have    been   the    kitchen,  actually  projects  over 
the  sea,  owing  to  the  rocky  base  having  been  swept  away  by  a  storm 
during    some  Christmas    festivities  ;    and    consequently  a    peep    into  it 
through    its    doorway  presents    a    giddy  view    of   the    foaming  waters 
beneath.    The  rock  on  which  the  castle  stands  is  not  in  reality  insular,  ' 
as  it  is  united  at  the  bottom  of  a  chasm,  30  feet  wide,  to  the  mainland, 
by  a  ledge   of  rock  a  little    higher  than  the  surface  of  the  ocean,  but 
still    low    enough    to    be     swept    over    by    the    waves    in  turbulent 
weather.     The    fortress   was    formerly    entered    by   a    peculiar  bridge. 
Two  parallel  walls,  about  8  feet  apart,  spanned    the  top  of  this  chasm, 
and  formed  a  foundation  upon    which  planks    were    laid    crosswise  for 
the  admission  of  visitors,  and  removed  immediately  after  their  passage, 
so  as  to  prevent  the  entrance  of  the  besieging  force.    At  present  but 
one  of  the  walls  remains.      It  is   18  inches    in    thickness,  and  affords 
the  only  pathway  to  the  castle,  over  the  awful  rocky  abyss.    It  hangs 
without    any  support    from    beneath,    and    still,    needing    no    power  of 


RUINS  OF  DUN  LUCE  CASTLE. 


17? 


arch  being  solely  sustained  by  the  strength  of  its  own  cemented 
material.  The  position  of  the  other  parallel  wall  may,  however,  be 
perceived  by  the  traces  of  its  connection  with  the  opposite  rock. 
The  ruins  of  a  second  fortified  structure  stand  upon  the  mainland  close 
to  the  chasm.  It  is  said  to  have  been  erected  by  the  Antrim  family 
at  a  much  later  period  than  the  castle,  in  consequence  of  the  fall  of 
the  floor  of  the  apartment  already  mentioned.  The  rock  is  undermined 
by  a  subterranean  chamber,  which  penetrates  completely  through  from 
the  sea  to  the  rocky  basin  on  the  land-side.  This  cave  may  be  entered 
by  a  small  aperture  at  the  south  end,  and  at  low  water  presents  a  consid- 
erable flooring  of  large  round  stones,  which  have  attained  their  form  from 
the  action  of  the  waves.  The  sides  and  roof  partake  of  the  basaltic 
character  of  the  district.  When  the  surface  of  the  water  is  unruffled, 
this  subterranean  chamber  possesses  a  very  remarkable  echo. 

Looking  to  the  westward  from  this  striking  and  picturesque  remnant 
of  feudal  strength,  a  fine  view  is  obtained  of  the  "  White  Rocks,"  a 
range  of  white  worn  cliffs  over  a  mile  long,  and  of  Portrush  and  its 
sandy  beach  beyond,  of  the  cliffs  of  Magilligan,  of  the  lofty  mountains 
of  Innishowen,  which  separate  Loughs  Foyle  and  Swilly,  and  of  an  , 
illimitable  range  of  ocean  ;  while  the  piers  and  promontories  of  the 
Giant's  Causeway  attract  the  eye  when  turned  in  the  opposite  direction. 

When  feudal  oppression,  robbery,  and  violence  were  the  predominant 
characteristics  of  the  chieftains  who  held  the  northern  coast  of  Ireland 
and  the  opposite  Scottish  Highlands,  no  better  place  could  have  been 
selected  for  a  fortress  than  this  rocky  fastness.  It  is  unknown  who  was 
the  original  builder  of  Dunluce,  yet  its  erection  has  been  assigned  by 
some  to  DeCourcy,  Earl  of  Ulster.  It  was,  however,  in  the  hands  of 
the  English  in  the  fifteenth  century  ;  and,  near  the  close  of  the 
sixteenth,  it  was  held  by  the  MacQuillans,  who  were  then  lords  of  the 
surrounding  district,  called  the  "  Root."  We  have  already  said  that 
Somarle  MacDonnell,  or  Sorely  Boy,  the  founder,  in  1509,  of  the  abbey 
of  Bonamargy,  remains  of  which  exist  at  Ballycastle,  is  also  the  accred- 
ited founder  of  the  house  of  MacDonnell,  Earls  of  Antrim.  In  1580 
one  of  the  family  visited  Ireland  to  aid  Tyrconnell  against  the  O'Neil, 
when  he  was  hospitably  entertained  on  the  way  by  MacQuillan,  the  Lord 
of  Dunluce,  whose  neighbors  he  helped  to  subjugate  ;  for  which  assistance 


178 


THE  GIANT'S  CAUSEWAY. 


he  was  invited  to  winter  at  the  castle  before  joining  Tyrconnell,  while 
his  retainers  were  quartered  upon  those  of  his  host.  MacDonnell, 
however,  took  advantage  of  his  position  as  a  guest,  and  privately 
married  MacQuillan's  daughter,  but  not  before  it  was  asserted  to  be  high 
time  ;  and  from  the  alliance  subsequently  claimed  possession  of  the 
territory.  But  he  soon  found  it  necessary  to  flee  to  Rathlin  Island, 
along  with  his  wife,  upon  the  latter  revealing  a  conspiracy  of  the  Irish  to 
murder  him  and  his  followers.  A  war  now  ensued  between  the 
MacDonnells  and  MacQuillans,  lasting  during  the  remainder  of  the  reign 
of  Queen  Elizabeth,  and  giving  them  Dunluce  and  the  "  Root "  alter- 
nately, according  to  their  varying  fortunes.  The  feud  was  terminated  by 
James  I.,  who  secured  to  MacDonnell  the  Antrim  possessions,  allotting 
as  compensation  to  MacQuillan  the  barony  of  Innishowen  in  Donegal. 
But  upon  Sir  John  Chichester  arriving  to  attend  to  the  execution  of 
the  award,  he  prevailed  upon  MacQuillan  to  exchange  the  Donegal 
barony  for  some  property  of  his  own  nearer  Dunluce,  under  the  plea 
that  it  would  be  easier  for  the  deposed  lord  to  convey  his  vassals  thither. 
From  these  exchanges  of  possessions  the  MacDonnells  have  become 
Earls  of  Antrim,  and  the  Chichesters  Marquises  of  Donegal  ;  but  the 
descendants  of  the  MacQuillans,  the  ancient  kings  of  this  coast,  are  now 
toilers  among  the  great  mass  of  the  Irish  people.  Still  the  Earls  of 
Antrim  have  not  held  their  estates  without  molestation,  for  in  1642 
General  Munroe  treacherously  visited  Dunluce  Castle,  where  he  was  not 
only  hospitably  received,  but  offered  aid  in  the  subjugation  of  the 
country ;  and  in  return  seized  the  Earl  of  Antrim,  placed  his  other 
castles  in  the  hands  of  the  Marquis  of  Argyle's  men,  and  imprisoned 
him  in  Carrickfergus  Castle,  from  which  he  effected  an  escape  and  fled 
to  England.  Again,  in  1660,  Randall,  first  Marquis  of  Antrim,  upon 
appearing  to  pay  his  respects  to  Charles  II.  on  the  Restoration,  was 
imprisoned  in  the  Tower,  and  subsequently  persecuted  by  Lord  Massarene, 
to  whom  his  estates  had  been  granted ;  but  he  eventually  silenced  his 
enemies,  and  regained  his  estates  upon  the  production  of  a  letter  of 
Charles  I.  authorizing  him  to  take  up  arms. 

The  three  miles  of  road  from  Dunluce  to  Portrush  took  us  over  the 
White  Rocks,  and  along  by  the  coast  at  a  height  of  some  400  feet  above 
the  sea.    The  cliffs  are  here  worn  into  fantastic  shapes  by  the  action 


THE  WHITE  ROCKS  AND  PORTRUSH. 


179 


of  the  waves,  and,  from  their  peculiarity  of  formation,  have  received  such 
names  as  the  Lion's  Paw,  the  Giant's  Head,  etc.  The  northern  and  part 
of  the  eastern  coast  of  Ireland,  from  Donegal  to  Dublin,  presents,  some 
15  feet  above  tide-water,  a  beach  or  embankment,  evidently  a  former 
sea-level,  which  is  more  or  less  marked  upon  the  Antrim  shore,  and 
especially  at  this  point,  where,  within  a  space  of  two  miles,  there  are  no 
less  than  27  caverns,  due  to  the  action  of  the  waves,  but  now  far  above 
their  reach.  The  largest  and  most  picturesque  of  these  is  called  the 
Priest's  Hole,  from  its  being  the  hiding-place,  after  the  Rebellion,  of  a 
priest  who,  on  being  discovered  by  the  soldiers,  sprang  into  the  boiling 
waters  beneath  rather  than  surrender.  Portrush  is  a  small  but  pleasant 
sea-port  and  marine  resort  of  more  than  a  thousand  inhabitants,  built 
upon  a  rocky  basaltic  peninsula  of  over  a  mile  in  length,  having  the 
Skerries — a  group  of  islands  a  short  distance  from  the  shore — to  form  an 
advantageous  natural  breakwater  to  its  harbor.  The  town  contains  an 
obelisk  erected  in  1859  to  the  celebrated  Dr.  Adam  Clarke,  who  once 
ministered  in  its  Wesleyan  Chapel,  and  was  born  in  the  neighboring 
marine  village  of  Portstewart. 

O 

At  Portrush  we  transferred  ourselves  to  the  branch  railway  which 
carried  us  to  the  Belfast  and  Londonderry  line  at  the  town  of  Coleraine, 
famed  in  lyric  verse  as  the  home  of  "  beautiful  Kitty,"  whose  peculiar 
mishap  led  to  the  breakage  of  ever}'  milk  pitcher  in  the  place.  Coleraine 
(Cuil-rathain,  the  Corner  of  Ferns)  is  situated  just  within  the  county 
of  Londonderry,  of  which  it  is  the  second  town  in  size.  It  lies 
upon  the  river  Bann,  the  outlet  of  Lough  Xeagh,  some  30  miles  down 
the  stream  and  four  before  it  enters  the  ocean.  Its  main  streets  radiate 
from  a  square  called  the  Diamond,  having  the  Town  Hall  in  the  centre, 
and  its  principal  industries  are  the  manufacture  of  a  peculiar  kind  of  fine 
linen,  and  the  distillation  of  a  superior  whiskey,  both  branded  with  its 
name,  which  they  carry  in  good  repute  to  distant  corners  of  the  earth. 
The  town  dates  its  importance  to  the  time  of  James  I.,  who  granted  the 
district  to  the  London  Companies  in  1613,  and  incorporated  the  borough 
in  1614.  Its  earlier  history  informs  us  that  it  was  the  seat  of  a  bishop's 
see,  founded  about  540  by  St.  Carbrens,  a  disciple  of  St.  Finian  of 
Clonard  ;  that  it  was  plundered  in  11 71  by  the  King  of  Down,  and  again 
in   12 13  by  Thomas  MacUchtry.  who  used  the  stones  of  the  abbey  as 


180 


THE  GIANT'S  CAUSEWAY. 


the  materials  for  a  castle  which  he  erected  here  ;  also  that  a  Dominican 
Monastery  was  founded  in  it  in  1244,  of  which,  and  of  the  castle,  no 
traces  remain.  Its  only  relic  is  found  a  mile  out  of  the  town  at  Mount 
Sandel,  where  there  is  a  large  rath,  200  feet  high,  surrounded  by  a  dry 
fosse,  said  to  have  been  raised  in  1 1 97,  and  the  site  of  one  of 
DeCourcy's  castles.  The  church  is  a  fine  stone  edifice,  built  in  1614. 
The  river  is  crossed  by  a  handsome  stone  bridge  of  three  arches,  erected 
about  1743  to  replace  a  wooden  structure  built  in  1716  and  carried  away 
by  a  flood  in  1739.  The  navigation  being  obstructed  by  a  bar  of  shifting 
sand,  the  principal  shipping  trade  of  the  town  is  carried  on  at  Portrush, 
which  is  scarcely  half  a  dozen  miles  distant.  Two  miles  above  the  town 
the  river  falls  over  a  ledge  of  rocks,  forming,  a  salmon  leap  13  feet  high. 
The  salmon  fishery,  one  of  the  best  in  Ireland,  is  leased  to  a  company. 
The  town  has  a  cleanly  look  about  it,  finds  employment  for  about  6000 
inhabitants,  and  returns  one  member  to  the  British  Parliament. 

A  run  of  an  hour  and  a  half  took  us  from  Coleraine  to  London- 
derry, the  route  following  the  western  bank  of  the  river  Bann  to  its 
mouth,  and  thence  for  a  few  miles'  along  the  sea-coast  ;  after  which  it 
crossed  the  shoulder  of  Magilligan  Point,  the  eastern  limit  of  Lough 
Foyle,  and  continued  along  the  southeastern  shore  of  that  inlet  to  its 
terminus.  On  the  way  we  passed  Magilligan,  where  St.  Columbkill,  in 
584,  founded  a  monastery  (of  which  there  are  some  remains)  that  from  its 
pre-eminence  obtained  the  title  of  the  "  throne  of  St.  Columbkill  ; "  and 
Limavady  Junction,  where  a  branch  shoots  off  to  the  little  town  in  which 
Thackeray  got  so  bewitched  by  the  bright  eyes  of  the  pretty  waiting- 
maid,  while  the  horses  were  being  changed  in  the  coach  in  which  he 
travelled,  that  he  spilt  his  beer  on  his  "  whatd'yecall'ems,"  and  chronicled 
his  disaster  in  the  deathless  verse  of  "  Peg  of  Limavady." 


THE  "MAIDEN  CITY.' 


181 


CHAPTER  X. 

LONDONDERRY  AND   THE  NORTHWEST. 

The  "  Maiden  City  " — Its  early  history — Londonderry  and  the  Plantation  of  Ulster — The  memor- 
able siege — Ancient  bastions  and  gates —  Walker's  Pillar — Cathedral  and  other  public  edifices — 
Loughs  Foyle  and  Swilly — Peninsula  of  Innishowen — Grianan  Aileach — Strabane,  Newton 
Stewart  and  Omagh — Enniskillen — Devenish  Lsland,  its  churches  and  Round  Toiver — The 
river  Erne — The  upper  and  lower  loughs — Lough  Derg  and  St.  Patrick's  Purgatory — 
Fisheries  of  Bally  shannon — Donegal  town  and  bay — Grandeur  of  Donegal  scenery — Sligo — 
Hazlewood  and  Lough  Gill — Ballina — Roserk  Abbey — Abbey  of  Moyne — Killala— French 
Lnvasion — Lough  Conn  and  Mt.  Nephin — Lough  Cullen — Castlebar. 

THE  far-famed  "Maiden  City"*  stands  on  the  western  bank  of  the 
River  Foyle,  and  occupies  the  sides  and  summit  of  a  steep  promon- 
tory, rising  to  a  height  of  119  feet,  and  almost  peninsulated  by  a  noble 
sweep  of  the  smooth,  deep  river,  as  its  waters  glide  majestically  on 
towards  the  fine  estuary  of  the  same  name,  where  they  are  mingled 
with  those  of  the  ocean.  The  appearance  of  Londonderry  is  very 
picturesque,  especially  when  viewed  from  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river, 
whence  its  edifices  are  observed  to  rise  tier  over  tier  to  the  crowning 
structure  of  the  hill,  the  spire  of  the  ancient  cathedral.  The  old  bridge, 
however,  represented  in  our  engraving,  and  which  in  its  time  seemed  to 
enhance  the  beauties  of  the  picture,  has  in  late  years  fallen  a  sacrifice 
to  the  iconoclastic  demands  of  progress,  and  given  way  to  a  more  modern 
iron  structure,  made  to  serve  the  double  duty  of  carrying  across  the  river 
the  public  highway,  and  the  Northern  Counties  Railway.  The  old 
bridge,  both  a  great  favorite  and  a  great  curiosity,  was  1068  feet  long, 
and  40  feet  broad,  and  was  one  of  the  several  constructed  in  Ireland  at 
the  close  of  the  last  century,  by  Lemuel  Cox,  of  Boston,  Mass.,  of  which 

*  Londonderry  has  obtained  the  sobriquet  of  the  "  Maiden  City,"  of  which  the  inhabitants  are  proud,  from 
its  never  having  been  taken  in  war.  This,  however,  must  refer  to  the  period  since  it  was  fortified,  as  it 
changed  possessors  more  than  once  before  that  time. 


182 


LONDONDERRY  AND  THE  NORTHWEST. 


we  have  mentioned  those  at  Waterford  and  elsewhere.  It  was  latterly 
found  inconvenient,  as  its  slight  elevation  above  the  river  required  for 
navigation  the  use  of  a  draw,  which,  whenever  opened,  necessitated  the 
shutting  off  the  flow  of  the  gas  and  water  carried  over  it  into  the  city 
by  mains. 

Derry,  the  name  by  which  the  city  was  known  until  early  in  the 
seventeenth  century,  is  derived  either  from  the  Celtic  doire,  "  the  place 
of  oaks,"  or  Derry  Calgach,  "  the  oak  wood  of  Calgach."  The  town 
originated,  like  many  other  Irish  cities,  in  the  foundation  by  St.  Columb- 
kill,  in  546,  of  an  Augustinian  abbey,  whose  abbot,  in  1158,  Flaherty 
O'Brollaghan,  was  created  first  bishop  of  Derry.*  In  the  six  centuries 
which  intervened  between  these  dates,  Derry  was  repeatedly  the  prey  of 
foreign  invaders  and  native  lawless  chiefs,  and  was  several  times  wholly 
or  partially  destroyed  by  fire.  In  1 163  the  first  great  church  was  built; 
in  1 198  the  city  was  taken  by  John  DeCourcy ;  in  1218  Furlough 
Leinigh  founded  an  abbey  for  Cistercian  nuns;  and  in  131 1  Derry  was 
granted  by  Edward  II.  to  Richard  DeBurgh.  In  1566  an  English 
garrison  occupied  the  city  and  fortified  it,  but  an  explosion  in  the  powder 
magazine  in  1568  led  to  its  evacuation.  It  was,  however,  reoccupied  in 
1600  by  Sir  Henry  Dowcra,  who  erected  the  adjoining  fort  of  Culmore, 
and  pulled  down  the  old  abbey  and  other  ecclesiastical  buildings,  using 
their  materials  for  new  defences  ;  and  in  1604  he  received  from  James  I. 
the  first  charter  for  the  city.  But  in  1608  Derry  was  again  literally 
reduced  to  ashes  and  the  garrison  put  to  the  sword  by  Sir  Cahir 
O'Doherty.f 

*  The  date  of  the  establishment  of  the  first  bishopric  of  this  district  is  unknown,  but  its  first  incumbents 
were  called  bishops  of  Tyrone,  and  had  their  see  at  Ardsrath  or  Ardstraw  in  Donegal  County,  whence  in 
597  they  removed  to  Rathlone  or  Maghera  in  Derry.  In  1158  a  council  of  bishops  decreed  that  the  town  of 
Derry  should  be  erected  into  a  see — which,  however,  had  no  regular  succession  of  bishops  till  after  1279.  In 
1834  the  Protestant  diocese  of  Derry  (it  retains  the  ancient  name)  was  enlarged  by  that  of  Raphoe,  but  the  latter 
remains  a  separate  see  in  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  with  the  episcopal  residence  at  Letterkenny.  Raphoe 
lies  about  16  miles  to  the  southwest,  and  Letterkenny  about  the  same  to  the  west.  The  former  possessed  a 
monastery  established  by  St.  Columb,  which  was  converted  into  a  bishopric  by  St.  Ennan. 

f  It  was  the  rebellion,  in  1608,  of  Sir  Cahir  O'Doherty,  the  latest  and  bravest  of  the  Irish  chieftains,  that 
mainly  led  to  the  "  plantation"  of  Ulster  by  James  I.  His  revolt  was  stimulated  by  his  being  personally  chastised 
by  Sir  George  Powlett,  Vice-Provost  of  Derry,  which  he  revenged  by  the  death  of  his  chastiser,  and  the 
destruction  of  the  city.  Many  Scotchmen  who  had  settled  upon  the  rich  lands  bordering  Loughs  Foyle  and 
Swilly,  immediately  after  this,  while  the  "  plantation "  of  Ulster  was  in  contemplation,  were  viewed  by 
Sir  Cahir  as  intruders  and  heretics,  and  he  aimed  at  their  extirpation.     One  of  his  deeds  was  to  drive  off  the 


HISTORICAL  EVENTS. 


183 


The  modern  city  may  be  said  to  date  from  1609,  when  James  I. 
entered  into  an  arrangement  which  resulted,  in  161 3,  in  his  granting  the 
city,  under  the  name  of  Londonderry,  along  with  the  adjoining  district, 
to  the  "  Society  of  the  Governors  and  Assistants,  London,  of  the  new 
Plantation  of  Ulster,"  *  commonly  called  the  "  Irish  Society,"  who  were 
required  to  fortify  it.  The  Town  Hall  was  erected  in  1622,  and  the 
cathedral  was  completed  in  1633.  On  the  breaking  out  of  the  rebellion 
in  1 64 1  the  city  became  the  asylum  of  the  Irish  Protestants,  who 
successfully  defended  it  against  the  Royalists  in  1649.  The  greatest 
historical    event    in    the    annals    of    Londonderry    is    undoubtedly  the 

stock,  burn  the  homestead,  and  slaughter  the  wife  and  children  of  one  Sandy  Ramsey,  who  had  been  granted 
part  of  the  valley  of  the  Lennan  by  Rory  O'Donnel,  Earl  of  Tyrconnell.  The  Scot,  absent  at  the  time,  on 
returning  and  learning  his  bereavement,  threatened  revenge,  to  which  he  was  further  stimulated  by  a  reward  of 
^500  offered  for  Sir  Cahir's  head  by  the  Lord  Deputy.  He  consequently  secreted  himself  near  the  Hill  of 
Doune,  and  with  his  gun  and  dirk  waited  day  by  day  for  the  expected  appearance  of  his  foe,  who  was  lofty  and 
proud  of  bearing,  and  readily  distinguishable  by  his  Spanish  hat  and  heron's  plume.  On  Holy  Thursday  Sir 
Cahir  presented  himself  within  range  of  Ramsey's  matchlock,  awaiting  the  arrival  of  a  friar  from  the  Abbey  of 
Kilmacrenan  to  shrive  him  and  celebrate  mass,  and  while  chatting  with  his  men  was  stricken  down  by  a  bullet 
penetrating  his  forehead.  His  followers  were  instantly  seized  with  a  panic,  and,  imagining  that  the  English  and 
Scotch  had  risen  upon  them,  dispersed  among  the  mountains,  leaving  the  dead  body  of  their  chief  to  its  fate. 
Ramsey,  finding  it  deserted,  descended  from  his  hiding-place,  and",  severing  the  head  from  the  body,  wrapped  it 
in  his  plaid  and  at  once  set  off  for  Dublin.  At  night  he  sought  rest  in  the  cabin  of  Terence  Gallagher,  situated 
at  a  ford  of  the  river  Finn  ;  and  after  supper  slept  with  Sir  Cahir's  head  under  his  own  as  a  pillow.  The  Scot 
slept  sound,  but  Terence  was  up  at  daybreak,  and  noticing  blood  oozing  from  his  guest's  pillow  concluded  all 
was  not  right.  So,  slitting  the  plaid  and  drawing  out  the  head,  he  recognized  features  that  were  known  to 
every  man  in  Tyrconnell.  He  knew,  too,  that  there  was  a  price  on  this  very  head,  a  price  that  would  be  to  him 
a  fortune,  and  he  was  determined,  if  possible,  to  gain  it.  So  off  Terence  started,  and  had  almost  crossed  broad 
Tyrone  when  the  Scotchman  awoke  from  his  slumbers  ;  and  the  story  is  still  told  with  triumph  through  the 
country  how  the  Irishman,  without  the  treason,  reaped  the  reward  of  Sir  Cahir's  death. 

*  Early  in  the  reign  of  James  I.,  a  considerable  part  of  the  province  of  Ulster  was  vested  in  the  Crown  by 
the  attainder  of  Roman  Catholic  families  of  distinction,  and  a  colonization  of  the  forfeited  estates  was 
then  suggested  to  the  king  by  the  lord-treasurer,  Salisbury.  His  majesty,  conceiving  the  Great  Companies  of  the 
City  of  London  to  be  the  best  qualified  to  effect  so  great  an  object,  on  the  28th  of  January,  1609,  permitted  an 
agreement  to  be  entered  into  between  commissioners  for  the  city  and  the  lords  of  the  privy  council,  whereby 
the  towns  and  liberties  of  Derry  and  Coleraine,  with  the  "salmon  and  eel  fisheries  of  the  rivers  Bann  and 
Foyle,  and  all  other  kind  of  fishing  in  the  river  Foyle,  so  far  as  the  river  floweth,  and  in  the  Bann  to  Lough 
Neagh,  should  belong  in  perpetuity  to  the  city  ; "  that  the  liberties  of  Londonderry  should  extend  three  miles 
every  way  ;  with  numerous  other  privileges  and  conditions,  included  in  twenty-seven  articles  of  agreement. 
The  lands  were  divided  into  lots  of  1000,  1500  and  2000  acres,  the  "  undertakers  "  to  reside  personally,  or  place 
deputies  thereon  ;  and  it  was  ultimately  determined  that  they  should  place  upon  each  1000  acres,  and  propor- 
tionately on  the  larger  allotments,  the  "number  of  24  able  men,  being  English  or  Inland  Scottish."  In  1611 
the  order  of  baronets  was  established,  to  provide  by  the  sale  of  that  dignity  a  fund  for  the  defence  of  the  new 
settlement.  In  1613  the  Society  of  the  New  Plantation  of  Ulster  was  incorporated,  and  from  that  date  Derry 
has  been  the  property  of  the  city  of  London. 


184 


LONDONDERRY  AND  THE  NORTHWEST. 


memorable  siege  it  withstood  for  105  days  (from  April  20  to  July  30, 
1689)  against  the  forces  of  James  II.,  under  the  command  of  that  king 
in  person,  Rosen,  and  Hamilton,  when  the  defenders  lost  3000  men  and 
the  assailants  about  8000.  After  several  ineffectual  attempts  to  treacher- 
ously surrender  the  city,  Lundy,  its  governor,  escaped  the  fury  of  the 
garrison  in  the  disguise  of  a  porter,  when  the  command  was  taken  by 
the  Rev.  George  Walker,  rector  of  Donaghmore,  whose  heroism  and  zeal 
upheld  the  courage  of  the  defenders  amid  the  horrors  of  famine  and 
pestilence  until  succor  arrived  through  the  store-ships  Mountjoy  and 
Phoenix,  of  Kirke's  fleet,  breaking  through  the  barriers  placed  across  the 
Foyle.    The  Town  Hall,  burned  during  the  siege,  was  rebuilt  in  1692. 

The  walls,  gates,  and  some  of  the  bastions  that  enclosed  the  old  city 
are  still  entire.  The  latter,  including  those  removed,  were  known  during 
the  siege  as  the  Double,  bearing  the  gallows  for  the  threatened  hanging 
of  prisoners ;  the  Royal,  over  which  the  defiant  red  flag  was  unfurled  ; 
and  Hangman's,  Gunner's,  Water,  Ferry,  and  Coward's  Bastions — the  latter 
lying  most  out  of  danger,  and,  it  is  said,  never  lacking  defenders.  The 
original  gates,  four  in  number,  some  of  them  rebuilt  during  the  present 
century,  are  Bishop's  (transformed  in  1789  into  a  triumphal  arch,  in 
honor  of  William  III.),  Shipquay,  Butcher's,  and  Ferry  gates,  to  which 
New  and  Castle  gates  have  been  added.  The  walls  are  well  preserved, 
and  form  a  most  agreeable  promenade  of  about  a  mile  in  circumference, 
and  it  is  asserted  that  no  plea  of  health  or  convenience  would  be  held 
by  the  inhabitants  sufficient  to  justify  their  demolition.  Some  guns,  used 
defensively  during  the  siege,  are  preserved  in  their  original  localities  ; 
while  others  are  made  to  serve  as  posts  for  fastening  cables,  protecting 
the  corners  of  streets,  etc.  One  antique  gun,  the  gift  of  the  fishmongers 
of  London,  and  bearing  the  name  of  "  Roaring  Meg,"  was  distinguishable 
during  the  siege  by  the  loudness  of  its  report ;  another,  bearing  the  date 
1642,  and  the  arms  and  motto  of  the  Salters'  Company,  was  dug  up  in 
1866,  during  some  excavations.  The  bastions  have  been  transformed  into 
pleasant  little  gardens;  and  from  one,  which  bore  the  hottest  fire  of  the 
enemy,  rises  Walker's  Pillar,  inaugurated  in  1828,  and  visible  far  up 
and  down  the  Foyle.  It  is  a  Doric  column,  80  feet  in  height,  surmounted 
by  a  statue  nine  feet  high,  representing  the  heroic  clergyman,  says 
Macaulay,    "  as   when,    in    the   last   and    most   terrible   emergency,  his 


THE  CATHEDRAL  AND  PUBLIC  BUILDINGS. 


185 


eloquence  roused  the  fainting  courage  of  his  brethren.  In  one  hand 
he  grasps  a  Bible ;  the  other,  pointing  down  the  river,  seems  to  direct 
the  eyes  of  his  famished  audience  to  the  English  topmasts  in  the 
distant  bay."  The  view  over  the  Foyle,  and  the  country  beyond,  from 
this  bastion,  is  exceedingly  fine.  In  the  middle  of  the  city  is  a 
square  called  the  Diamond,  containing  the  Corporation  Hall  in  its  centre, 
from  which  the  streets,  some  of  them  very  steep,  radiate  at  right  angles, 
after  the  ancient  Roman  style,  to  the  four  original  gates.  However, 
more  than  half  the  inhabitants  reside  in  modern  residences  that  have 
sprung  up  outside  the  old  mural  barriers. 

The  most  prominent  edifice  within  the  old  city  is  the  Cathedral, 
dedicated  to  St.  Columb,  in  the  pointed  style,  and  comprising  a  nave 
and  two  aisles,  with  octagon  turrets  surrounding  a  conical  spire.  The 
interior  contains  a  tablet  commemorative  of  its  erection,  in  1633  ; 
and,  to  again  quote  Macaulay,  "is  filled  with  relics  and  trophies.  In 
the  vestibule  is  a  huge  shell,  one  of  many  hundreds  of  shells  which 
were  thrown  into  the  city.  Over  the  altar  are  still  seen  the  French 
flagstaves  taken  by  the  garrison  in  a  desperate  sally  ;  the  white  ensigns 
of  the  house  of  Bourbon  have  long  been  dust,  but  their  place  has 
been  supplied  by  new  banners,  the  work  of  the  fairest  hands  of 
Ulster."  The  tower  from  its  elevation  presents  an  extensive  view  of 
the  entire  city,  with  Lough  Foyle,  backed  up  by  the  Innishowen 
Mountains  on  the  north,  and  the  adjacent  country  in  the  other  direc- 
tions of  the  compass.  The  Episcopal  Palace  occupies  the  site  of  the 
Augustinian  Convent. 

The  other  public  buildings  worthy  of  notice  are  the  new  Roman 
Catholic  Cathedral,  on  the  south  side  of  the  city  ;  the  Appre?itice  Boys' 
Memorial  Hall,  erected  in  1876  by  public  subscription  in  memory  of  the 
13  historic  apprentices  who,  December  7th,  1688,  closed  the  gates  against 
Lord  Antrim's  troops  previous  to  the  siege  ;  the  Cotirt  House ;  District 
Lunatic  Asylum;  the  Foyle  College ;  and,  about  a  mile  from  the  town,  the 
Magee  College  for  Presbyterian  divinity  students,  a  handsome  building 
erected  from  a  bequest  of  ,£20,000  by  Mrs.  Magee,  of  Dublin.  To  meet 
the  demands  of  commerce,  a  new  line  of  Quays  and  a  new  Graving  Dock 
have  lately  been  constructed  at  an  expense  of  ,£80,000.  A  large  colonial 
and  coasting  trade  is  carried  on  from  the  port,  whence  steamers  ply 
n— 63 


186 


LONDONDERRY  AND  THE  NORTHWEST. 


regularly  to  Belfast,  Glasgow,  Liverpool  and  Morecambe,  the  latter  in 
connection  with  the  Midland  Railway  of  England.  The  town  has 
lately  become  noted  for  the  making  of  shirts,  which  gives  employment 
to  a  large  number  of  women  in  and  around  it.  Its  other  industries 
consist  of  bacon-curing,  brewing,  distilling,  iron  and  brass  founding, 
tanning,  etc.  "  The  population  of  the  city  in  1871  consisted  of  25,242 
inhabitants,  and  it  returns  one  member  to  the  British  Parliament. 
Londonderry  gives  the  title  of  marquis  to  the  house  of  Stewart,  and 
was  the  birth  place  in   1678  of  George  Farquhar,  the  dramatist. 

Lough  Foyle,  which  forms  the  harbor  of  Londonderry,  is  a  land- 
bound  inlet  15  miles  long  and  10  broad,  connected  with  the  Atlantic 
by  a  narrow  strait  at  the  northeast.  It  affords  excellent  anchorage, 
but  has  extensive  sandbanks  on  each  side,  and  a  large  island  known  as 
Shell  Island  in  the  middle.  The  river  Foyle  is  an  estuary  as  far  inland 
as  Strabane,  and  has  its  mouth  defended  by  Culmore  Fort,  erected  in 
1600,  and  restored  in  1824. 

Lough  Foyle  is  separated  from  Lough  Swilly,  a  noble  estuary  on  its 
west  penetrating  the  land  for  30  miles  by  the  peninsula  of  Innishowen, 
having  near  its  centre  the  mountain  of  Slieve  Snaght,  2019  feet  high, 
and  at  its  northern  extremity  Malin  Head,  the  most  northerly  headland 
of  the  kingdom.  On  the  Lough  Foyle  shore  of  this  peninsula,  and 
near  to  the  entrance,  and  19  miles  from  Londonderry,  are  Moville,  a 
marine  watering  place,  and  Greencastle,  with  its  old  fortress  erected  in 
1305  by  Richard  Burke,  the  Red  Earl  of  Ulster,  to  hold  the  O'Neils 
and  O'Donnells  in  subjection,  and  a  modern  fort  that  commands  the 
passage.  The  names  of  these  two  places  are  familiar  to  the  readers  of 
telegraphic  reports,  as  it  is  at  them  that  the  Montreal  and  Liverpool, 
and  New  York  and  Glasgow  steam-packets  land  and  receive  their  Irish 
passengers  and  telegraphic  communications.  A  railway  traverses  the 
southern  portion  of  Innishowen  from  Londonderry  to  the  eastern  shore 
of  Lough  Swilly,  connecting  with  a  steam  ferry.  The  peninsula  lies 
within  the  county  of  Donegal,  and  is  noted  for  its  potheen.  In  the  days 
of  yore  it  was  the  stronghold  of  Kinel  Owen,  the  descendants  of  Owen, 
son  of  Nial,  of  the  nine  hostages,  who  were  dispossessed  about  the 
fifteenth  century  by  the  O'Dohertys,  descendants  of  Connell  Gulban. 
Along  the  line  of  the   railway,  at  about  five  miles  from  Londonderry, 


VICINITY  OF  THE  CITY. 


187 


are  the  ruins  of  the  Grianan  Aileach,  a  cyclopean  fort  surmounting  a 
hill  800  feet  high,  and  affording  fine  views  of  Loughs  Foyle  and  Swilly, 
and  on  the  west  the  Donegal  Mountains.  Though  the  name  has  sug- 
gested that  this  was  once  a  temple  of  the  sun,  it  is  concluded  to  have 
been  the  palace  of  the  northern  Irish  kings  previous  to  the  twelfth 
century.  A  circular  wall,  varying  from  ten  to  16  feet  in  thickness, 
encloses  an  area  of  82  feet  in  diameter  ;  and  the  number  of  stones  that 
have  fallen  off,  so  as  to  form  around  a  sloping  glacis  of  10  or  12  feet  in 
breadth,  indicate  that  it  was  originally  of  considerable  height.  Within  are 
the  remains  of  a  small  oblong  building,  evidently  of  later  date,  supposed 
to  have  been  a  chapel.  Another  noble  antiquity  is  St.  Columb's  stone, 
bearing  the  rude  impress  of  two  feet,  found  on  the  Greencastle  road,  a 
mile  from  Londonderry,  and  said  to  have  been  one  of  the  inauguration 
stones  of  the  ancient  chiefs  of  the  district. 

From  Londonderry  we  proceeded  to  Enniskillen,  on  the  southeastern 
corner  of  Lough  Erne,  along  60  miles  of  the  railway,  which  continues 
on  to  Dundalk  and  Dublin.  The  first  15  miles  took  us  to  the  thriving 
linen  manufacturing  town  of  Strabane,  up  the  valley  of  the  Foyle,  which 
stately  stream  for  a  greater  part  of  the  distance  forms  the  dividing  line 
between  the  counties  of  Donegal  on  the  west,  and  Londonderry  succeeded 
by  Tyrone  on  the  east.  It  is  at  Strabane  that  the  river  assumes  the 
name  of  Foyle  upon  receiving  the  joint  waters  of  the  Mourne  and  the 
Finn.  Another  run  of  twenty  miles  up  the  valleys  of  the  Mourne  and 
Struel,  amid  pleasant  mountain  and  river  scenery  carried  us  to  Omagh, 
the  county  town  of  Tyrone,  passing  about  half  way  Newtown  Stewart, 
pleasantly  resting  between  Bessy  Bell  and  Mary  Gray,  two  green-clad 
mountains  that  raise  their  heads  to  the  right  and  left,  and  having  in 
close  proximity  Baron's  Court,  the  princely  demesne  of  the  Duke  of 
Abercorn.  Omagh,  the  county  town  of  Tyrone,  possesses  a  handsome 
court  house,  and  could  once  boast  of  a  castle  that  was  demolished  in 
the  war  of  1509,  and  was  afterwards  restored  and  subsequently  captured 
in  1641  by  Sir  Phelim  O'Neill.  At  this  point  the  waters  of  the 
Drumragh  and  Camowen  Rivers  unite  and  form  the  Struel,  which  in  its 
turn  unites  with  other  streams  below  Newtown  Stewart  to  form  the 
Mourne  ;  and  the  railway  shoots  off  a  branch  to  Portadown,  where  it 
joins  the  line  between  Belfast  and  Dublin.   The  remainder  of  the  journey 


188 


LONDONDERRY  AND  THE  NORTHWEST. 


to  Enniskillen  possesses  little  of  interest  to  the  traveler.  We  may 
mention,  however,  that  the  line  passes  through  Dromore,  which  suffered 
considerably  during  the  insurrection  of  1641,  and  claims  to  have  once 
possessed  a  monastery  founded  by  St.  Patrick  for  the  first  woman  who 
received  the  veil  at  his  hands. 

Enniskillen  (Irish  Inisceithlean),  the  county  town  of  Fermanagh, 
though  a  place  of  5000  inhabitants,  mainly  consists  of  one  long  street, 
and  is  beautifully  situated,  with  a  church  spire  as  a  central  figure,  upon 
an  island  of  62  acres  lying  in  the  river  connecting  the  Upper  and  Lower 
Loughs  Erne,  and  near  to  its  entrance  into  the  latter.  Part  of  the  town, 
however,  is  built  upon  the  mainland,  and  connected  with  the  rest  by 
bridges.  Occupying  a  position  in  the  chief  pass  between  Ulster  and 
Connaught,  Enniskillen  has  ever  been  a  point  of  importance,  and  at  the 
beginning  of  the  reign  of  James  I.  it  was  a  stronghold  of  the  Maguires, 
of  Fermanagh.  But  in  161 2  it  was  granted  by  that  sovereign  to  William 
Cole,  ancestor  to  the  Earl  of  Enniskillen,  to  whom  the  principal  part  of 
the  town  still  belongs.  It  is  even  now  a  strong  military  station,  as  there 
is  a  fort  at  each  end  of  the  town,  and  extensive  barracks  occupy  the 
site  of  the  castle,  of  which  some  remains  still  exist.  The  place,  however, 
derives  its  modern  notoriety  from  its  stand  against  the  forces  of  King 
James  II.  in  the  revolution  of  1688,  in  which  it  was  second  only  to 
Londonderry.  The  sixth  regiment  of  Dragoons  was  raised  in  the  town, 
and  popularly  bears  its  name.  A  column,  100  feet  high,  erected  in  honor 
and  surmounted  by  a  statue  of  the  late  General  Sir  Lowry  Cole,  of 
Peninsular  fame,  stands  on  an  eminence  overlooking  the  town,  and  affords 
extensive  views  of  the  surrounding  country.  The  borough  contains  a 
court  house  and  other  county  buildings,  and  returns  one  member  to  the 
British  Parliament. 

The  environs  of  Enniskillen  are  very  interesting,  as  well  from  the 
naturally  rich  and  broken  character  of  the  country  as  from  its  signs 
of  improvement.  Two  miles  from  the  town,  in  the  entrance  to  the 
Lower  Lough  Erne,  stands  Devenish  Island,  (Irish  Daim-hinis),  about 
70   acres    in    extent,  and    containing   the    ruins    of  an   abbey,*  another 


*  The  religious  institutions  on  Devenish  were  founded  by  Lasrean,  otherwise  known  as  St.  Molaisse, 
native  of  Carbery,  near  Sligo,  and  educated  at  Clonard,  whence  he  removed  to  Devenish  at  an  early 
e.      He  is  supposed  to  have  been  at  one  time  Bishop  of  Clogher,  and  to  have  died  either  in  563  or  570. 


ENVIRONS  OF  ENNISKI LLEN. 


189 


church,  and  a  Round  Tower,  declared  to  be  the  most  perfect  in  the 
kingdom.  Of  the  monastic  remains,  the  upper  church,  situated  on  the 
most  elevated  part  of  the  island,  is  the  best  preserved,  and  consists 
of  the  tower  and  the  north  wall  of  the  choir.  The  basement  story 
of  the  tower  is  groined,  and  in  the  ceiling  are  two  apertures,  through 
which  bell-ropes  were  formerly  passed.  A  small  pointed  doorway 
leads  to  a  spiral  staircase,  by  which  the  battlements  of  the  tower 
are  reached.  The  masonry — sculpture  it  might  almost  be  called — is 
very  remarkable  ;  the  angles  of  the  architraves  being  delicately  fluted, 
and  finished  equally  at  top  as  at  bottom,  produce  an  effect  both 
light  and  graceful.  The  nunnery,  or  lower  church,  is  evidently  of  a 
more  ancient  date  than  the  priory,  and  presents  but  very  scanty 
remains.  The  Round  Tower  is  70  feet  high  and  remarkable  for  the 
perfection  of  its  masonry.  In  addition  to  the  usual  four  orifices  facing 
the  cardinal  points  near  the  summit,  it  has  on  the  northeast  side  three 
windows — square,  triangular,  and  round;  the  latter,  which  is  12  feet 
from  the  ground,  and  approached  by  three  rude  steps,  was  evidently 
intended  as  the  entrance.  Beneath  the  conical  apex  appears  the 
unusual  decoration  of  a  richly  designed  cornice,  with  a  human  head 
sculptured  on  the  keystone  of  each  of  the  upper  windows.  The  odor 
of  sanctity  that  hovers  over  Devenish  has  caused  it  to  remain,  like 
many  similar  spots,  a  favorite  place  of  interment. 

Picturesquely  situated  at  Portora,  on  the  main  shore  opposite 
Devenish,  is  the  Royal  School,  considered  the  Irish  Rugby,  erected  in 
1777,  to  accommodate  the  scholars  of  the  establishment  founded  in 
1626,  by  Charles  I.  On  the  southern  margin  of  the  lake,  some  miles 
to  the  west,  are  the  ruins  of  Tully  Castle,  the  fortified  mansion  of  a 
Scotch  family  named  Hume,  who  settled  there  in  the  reign  of  Eliza- 
beth, and  the  scene,  in  the  Rebellion  of  1641,  of  a  frightful  massacre, 
when  the  whole  of  the  inmates,  60  in  number,  were  killed  by  Rory, 
brother  of  Lord  Maguire.  Within  easy  drive  ot  the  town  are  the 
charming  estates  of  Castle  Coole,  seat  of  the  Earl  of  Belmore,  with 
its  fine  Grecian  mansion,  erected  by  Wyatt,  at  an  expense  of  ,£200,000  ; 
Florence  Court,  the  seat  of  the  Earl  of  Enniskillen,  seven  miles  to 
the  southwest,  an  imposing  mansion,  containing  some  valuable  paintings 
and  a  fine   geological    museum,  within    an    extensive    wooded  demesne. 


190 


LONDONDERRY  AND  THE  NORTHWEST. 


in  which  there  are  some  curious  limestone  formations,  the  principal 
being  "  the  Marble  Arch,"  and  a  subterranean  passage  through  which 
flows  the  river  Claddagh  ;  and  Ely  Lodge  on  the  shore  of  Lough 
Erne,  the  residence  of  the  Marquis  of  Ely. 

Lough   Erne  is  fed  by  the  river  of  the  same  name,  which  rises  in 
Lough    Gowna,  in    Longford    County,  and   after   a   devious   course  of 
some    miles,    expands    into    Lough    Oughter,     whence    it    emerges  a 
broader  stream,  and  takes  an  erratic  course  northwardly,  until  it  reaches 
"  that  extraordinary  maze  of  waters  which  compose  the  head  of  Upper 
Lough   Erne."      At  this  point,  on  the  head  of  a  narrow  promontory, 
stands  the  fine  modern  Crum  Castle,   the  charming,   embattled    seat  of 
the  Earl    of   Erne,  having   within    its   pleasure    grounds    the    ruins  of 
the  ancient  castle  with  its  walled  enclosures,  which,   in   1689,  was  con- 
stituted   a    frontier    garrison    of   Enniskillen,  and   withstood  a  siege  of 
Lord    Mountcashel.      From    a  mile    or  so    above    Crum    Castle,  where 
the  expansion  of  the  river  commences,  to  the  lower  end  of  the  upper 
lough,  a  distance  of  about  ten  miles,  the  stream  which  there  trends  to 
the  west  is  in  fact  nothing    more    than  a  very  broad  river,  margined 
by   an    endless    number    of  creeks,   nooks,  and    bays,  and    studded  by 
about  90  pretty  islets.    The  Erne,  after  passing  through  this  labyrinth, 
once    more    contracts  its  banks,  passes    on    for   half  a    score    miles  in 
the    simple    river    form,    and,    after    embracing    Enniskillen,    enters  the 
larger  lake.      The  valley  through    which  this    river    runs,  lies  between 
hills,  some    of   which    rise    abruptly,  while    others    slope  gently  to  the 
water,  all    more    or   less    adorned   with    the    richest  verdure    and  most 
luxuriant  woods. 

Lough  Erne  proper,  termed  the  "  Windermere  of  Ireland,"  stretches 
from  Enniskillen  to  Rosscor  Island,  a  distance  of  20  miles,  and  varies 
from  two  to  five  miles  in  breadth.  It  contains  28,000  statute  acres,  and 
embraces  109  islets,  many  insignificant,  but  some  from  10  to  150  acres 
in  size,  while  Boa  Island,  near  the  northern  bank,  comprises  1300 
acres.  The  shores  of  the  lake  are  on  the  northern  side  gently  un- 
dulating, but  on  the  southern  rise  to  bold  and  highly  picturesque 
acclivities  ;  at  the  lower  end,  however,  both  shores  are  flat  and  boggy. 
The  lough,  from  its  delightful  islands  and  pleasant  winding  shores, 
clad  with  verdure,  and  adorned  with    many  a  beautiful  residence,  is  a 


THE  LOWER  LOUGH  ERNE. 


191 


truly  magnificent  spectacle  that  can  undoubtedly  claim  a  high  rank 
among  the  lake  scenery  of  Ireland.  Mr.  Inglis  confidently  asserts 
that  "  lower  Lough  Erne,  take  it  all  in  all,  is  the  most  beautiful  lake 
in  the  three  kingdoms  ;  and  but  for  the  majestic  Alpine  outline  that 
bounds  the  horizon  on  the  upper  part  of  Lake  Leman,  Lake  Leman 
itself  could  not  contend  in  beauty  with  this  little-visited  lake  in  the 
county  of  Fermanagh."  At  Rosscor,  the  Erne  reassumes  the  river 
character,  and  nearly  four  miles  lower  down,  at  Belleek,  precipitates 
its  waters  over  a  ledge  of  limestone,  forming  a  fall  of  14  feet. 
Thence  it  rushes  to  Ballvshannon  along  a  rugged  bed  for  between 
four  and  five  miles,  in  which  its  waters  fall  by  a  succession  of  rapids 
140  feet,  and  finally  tumble  30  feet  at  low,  and  10  at  high  tide,  over 
a  series  of  shelving  rocks,  known  as  the  Salmon's  Leap,  to  mingle 
with  the  salt  waters  of  Donegal  Bay — the  latter  cascade  forming,  from 
its  volume,  the  most  effective  of  the  Irish  waterfalls. 

Communication  between  Enniskillen  and  Ballvshannon  is  carried  on 
by  a  railway  branching  off  from  that  by  which  we  approached  the  former 
place,  and  running  westward  north  of  the  lough,  and  within  the  northern 
limits  of  Fermanagh  ;  passing  Pettigoe  *  and  Belleek.  at  which  latter  it 
enters  Donegal  County  :  and  by  water  through  the  lough  as  far  as 
Belleek,  where  connection  is  made  with  the  railway.  The  five  miles  of 
rapids  between  Belleek  and  Ballvshannon  are  declared  to  constitute 
"  decidedly  the  best  fisherman's  river  in  Ireland,  and  can  be  equaled 
but   by    few    anywhere."     The    Rev.    Henry   Xewland,  in  his  work  on 

*  Though  Pettigoe  is  bat  an  insignificant  place,  it  is  daring  the  summer  months  visited  by  thousands  of 
devotees  on  their  way  to  Lough  Derg.  situated  a  few  miles  to  its  north  within  the  county  of  Donegal  and 
amidst  moon  tains  of  the  most  desolate  character.  This  dreary  lake  is  six  miles  long  and  four  broad,  and 
contains  several  rocky  «l«w1g_  the  largest  of  which,  Station  Island,  half  a  mile  from  the  shore,  is  the  resort 
of  pilgrims  for  the  purpose  of  doing  penance  in  St.  Patrick's  Purgatory.  This  island,  though  less  than  an  acre 
in  extent,  is  covered  with  modem  chapels  and  houses  for  penitents,  and  contains  several  stone  walls  from  one 
to  two  feet  in  height,  caiiei  the  Seven  Satuts'  Peuttentiui  Bets,  artuntt  —  h::h  penitent;  trass  cn  their  rare 
knees  npon  hard  and  pointed  rocks,  while  repeating  prayers.  The  period  during  which  offences  can  be  thns 
"P"^  is  declared  to  be  in  each  year  between  June  1st  and  August  15th  ;  and  in  spite  of  the  prohibitory 
edicts  of  several  of  the  popes,  and  the  orders  of  the  Irish  privy  council  in  former  days  for  its  suppression, 
the  practice  is  still  main  rained,  and  thousands  annually  flock  to  the  island,  though  the  pathways  to  Lough 
Derg  are  almost  impassable,  no  road,  it  is  said,  being  constructed,  lest  the  devotions  of  the  pilgrims  should  be 
interrupted  by  the  presence  of  too  many  heretics.  The  original  St.  Patrick's  Purgatory,  to  which  pilgrims 
restr.ei  in  rent rte  age;,  —as.  hfxsvsr.  not  tn  this  tut  tn  Saint;  I;lani  tn  — h:th  are  tue  remnants  ct  a 
priory,  and  a  cavern  into  which  persons  were  lowered  after  preparing  themselves  by  long  vigils,  fasts  and 
prayers,  until  1630.  when  it  was  closed  by  order    of  the  Lords  Justices. 


192 


LONDONDERRY  AND  THE  NORTHWEST. 


angling  in  the  Erne,  considers  the  number  of  fish  contained  in  this 
short  space  inconceivable  ;  and  these,  he  adds,  consist  of  "  salmon,  eels, 
trout,  pike,  perch,  but  none  of  them,  excepting  the  two  former,  valued  or 
preserved.  These,  however,  are  sources  of  great  profit.  These  fish — the 
salmon  and  the  eel — equally  affect  both  the  sea  and  the  fresh  water, 
with  this  singular  difference — the  salmon  enters  the  fresh  water  to  spawn, 
the  eel  descends  to  the  sea  for  the  same  purpose.  The  salmon  returns 
annually,  the  eel  never.  The  salmon  fry,  five  inches  in  length,  descend 
to  the  sea  in  spring;  the  eel  come  up  in  autumn,  when  about  the 
size  of  knitting  needles.  The  salmon  are  taken  as  they  ascend  ;  the 
eel  as  they  descend.  The  salmon  never  moves  by  night,  and  the  eel 
never  moves  by  day.  On  an  average  season,  about  a  hundred  tons 
of  salmon  are  taken  and  sixty  of  eels  ;  and  as  the  fishing  part  of  the 
river  is  certainly  not  more  than  five  miles  in  length,  a  consideration 
of  this,  compared  with  the  weight  taken,  will  give  some  idea  of  the 
numbers  it  contains."  The  salmon  that  drop  down  in  August  and 
September  return  again  up  the  same  river  in  the  months  of  spring, 
and  this  can  only  be  accomplished  by  an  ascent  of  the  fall  at  Bally- 
shannon. 

Ballyshannon,  {Bel-atha-Seanaigh,  "  the  Mouth  of  Shanagh's  Ford "), 
presents  a  finer  appearance  externally  than  internally,  as  it  is  princi- 
pally seated  upon  a  steep  hill,  with  its  two  parts  connected  by  a 
bridge  of  16  arches,  crossing  the  stream  a  few  hundred  yards  above 
the  celebrated  falls.  The  trade  of  the  town  (which  has  a  population  of 
over  3000),  is  principally  with  the  surrounding  country,  and  the  place 
has  been  much  improved  by  Col.  Conolly,  the  late  owner  of  the  soil  ; 
but  its  export  trade  is  small  in  consequence  of  a  dangerous  bar  at  the 
mouth  of  the  river  and  the  exposure  of  the  harbor  to  the  westerly 
winds.  Its  ancient  castle,  of  which  there  are  scanty  remains,  witnessed, 
in  1597,  the  disastrous  repulse  of  the  English  under  Sir  Conyers  Clifford, 
after  they  had  besieged  it  for  five  days.  There  are  in  the  immediate 
neighborhood  no  less  than  14  Danish  raths,  and  over  three  miles  to 
the  northwest,  ruins  of  Kilbarrow  Castle,  once  a  fortress  of  the  O'Clerys, 
renowned  for  their  erudition,  and  one  of  them,  Michael,  the  chief  of  the 
Four  Masters.  Ballyshannon  stands  in  the  southeastern  corner  of 
Donegal  Bay,  a  wide  inlet  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  penetrating  the  land 


THE  COUNTY  OF  DONEGAL. 


193 


for  about  20  miles,  and  having  the  town  of  Donegal,*  nearly  14  miles 
north  of  Ballyshannon,  in    its    northeastern  corner. 

The  county  of  Donegal  extends  far  away  to  the  north  of  this  bay, 
and  northeast  to  Lough  Fovle.  It  is  in  the  extreme  northwest  of 
Ireland,  is  girt  on  three-fourths  of  its  circumference  by  the  Atlantic  and 
salt  water  inlets,  and  presents  a  succession  of  mountains,  down  every 
one  of  which  rushes  some  rapid  stream,  feeding  a  lake  in  the  valley, 
that  sends  its  overflow  journeying  on  to  the  ocean.  Its  extensive 
wastes  give  to  it  in  many  parts  a  barren  aspect  ;  but  it  possesses  so 
many  scenes  of  surpassing  grandeur,  both  in  its  highlands  and  along 
its  bay-fringed  shores.T  that  the  county  must  some  day  become  a 
tramping  ground  for  the  tourist  in  search  of  new  sights,  or  of  a  new 
stock  of  oxygen  wherewith  to  restore  impaired  mental  or  physical 
powers.     Before,  however,  it  can  become   an    attractive   resort,  it  will 

*  Donegal  (Dun-tia-Galt),  the  small  county  town,  is  situated  at  the  mouth  of  the  Esk,  and  has  for 
its  principal  object  of  interest  the  ruined  castle  of  the  O'Donnells,  who  are  descended  from  Connell,  the 
son  of  Nial,  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  a  monarch  of  Ireland.  Donegal  means  the  land  of  Connell,  and  has 
for  its  Celtic  equivalent  Tyrconnell.  James  I.  conferred  the  title  of  Earl  of  Tyrconnell  and  Barcn  Donegal 
on  Rory  O'Donnell,  one  of  this  race  ;  but  it  was  lost  to  the  family  from  the  want  of  male  issue.  In 
15S7,  Hugh  Roe  O'Donnell  held  the  castle  and  defied  the  English  Government,  who  were  unable  to  send 
a  sufficient  force  against  him,  and  so  artfully  despatched  to  the  coast  a  wine-laden  vessel,  whose  hospitalities 
were  offered  by  the  captain  to  the  chief.  These  he  rashly  accepted,  and  while  drunk  was  bound  and 
carried  to  Dublin  Castle,  but  escaped  from  it  four  years  later.  Donegal  Castle  overlooks  the  Esk,  and 
is  a  fine,  turreted  Elizabethan  structure  of  mixed  domestic  and  defensive  character,  belonging  to  the  Earl 
of  Arran.  On  a  rocky  height  stand  considerable  remains  of  the  monastery  founded  in  1474  for  Franciscan 
Friars,  by  Hugh  Roe  O'Donnell.  In  it  were  compiled,  under  the  patronage  of  Ferga!  O'Gara,  Lord  of 
Moy  O'Gara  and  Coolavin,  the  famous  Annals  of  Donegal,  popularly  called  the  Annals  of  the  Four 
Masters,  of  whom  we  have  already  stated  Brother  Michael  O'Clery,  of  Kilbarron,  was  the  chief.  The 
work  comprised,  in  1100  quarto  pages,  the  political,  military,  ecclesiastical,  and  social  history  of  Ireland, 
from  anno  mundi  2242  to  anno  domini  1616 — a  period  of  4500  years — and  is  especially  rich  in  the  details 
of  the  eventful  period  in  which  the  authors  themselves  lived. 

f  The  cliffs  along  the  Donegal  coast  are  remarkably  grand,  and  especially  so  a  short  distance  north  of  Donegal 
Bay,  where  Slieve  League  shoots  up  perpendicularly  from  the  water's  brink.  "The  lofty  mountain,"  remarks 
Murray,  "gives  on  the  land  side  no  promise  of  the  magnificence  that  it  presents  from  the  sea,  being  in  fact  a 
mural  precipice  of  nearly  2000  feet  in  height,  descending  to  the  water's  edge  in  one  superb  escarpment — 

'  Around 

Whose  caverned  base  the  whirlpools  and  the  waves. 
Bursting  and  eddying  irresistibly. 
Rage  and  resound  forever.' 

And  not  only  in  its  height  is  it  so  sublime,  but  in  the  glorious  colors  which  are  grouped  in  masses  on  its  face. 
Stains  of  metals,  green,  amber,  gold,  yellow,  white,  red,  and  every  variety  of  shade  are  observed,  particularly 
when  seen  under  a  bright  sun.  contrasting  in  a  wonderful  manner  with  the  dark  blue  waters  beneath." 

II — IA 


194 


LONDONDERRY  AND  THE  NORTHWEST. 


have  to  avail  itself  of  improved  means  of  locomotion  and,  better 
accommodation  for  the  stranger  within  its  gates. 

The  railway  continues  for  four  miles  beyond  Ballyshannon  to 
Bundoran,  the  favorite  marine  watering-place  of  the  people  of  Ennis- 
killen.  It  is  situated  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Drowes,  and  on  the 
southern  shore  of  Donegal  Bay,  where  the  action  of  the  sea  has,  like 
in  many  other  parts  of  the  coast,  washed  the  cliffs  into  strange  forms, 
one  of  which,  termed  the  Fairy  Bridge,  consists  of  an  arch  24  feet  in 
span,  with  a  perfectly  formed  and  detached  causeway  12  feet  in  breadth. 
At  Bundoran  we  were  once  more  compelled  to  accept  the  national  car 
as  a  means  of  locomotion,  and  in  our  passage  to  Sligo,  a  distance  of 
21  miles,  found  the  road  to  cross  the  heads  of  the  various  small  bays 
which  indent  the  coast,  and  to  present  on  the  right  views  of  the  sea, 
and  on  the  left  the  towering  mountains  of  Benbulbin,  Benduff,  Benwicken, 
and  their  brethren.  On  crossing  the  Drowes  we  re-entered  Connaught, 
and  passed  during  the  earlier  part  of  our  journey  within  the  western 
confines  of  the  county  of  Leitrim,  and  for  the  remainder  in  that  of 
Sligo.  About  five  miles  from  our  destination  the  road  took  us  through 
Drumcliff  {Druim-chliabh,  the  ridge  of  baskets),  where  there  is  a  neat 
little  church,  and  some  remains  of  a  monastery  founded  by  St.  Columb 
in  590,  and  constituted  a  bishop's  see,  afterwards  united  to  Elphin. 
Glencar  Lough,  a  few  miles  to  the  east,  at  the  head  of  the  pretty  glen 
through  which  runs  the  Drumcliff  River,  is  a  lovely  sheet  of  water 
lying  at  the  base  of  the  mountains,  having,  as  a  scenic  adjunct,  a  fine 
waterfall  of  300  feet  in  height. 

The  town  of  Sligo  (SligeacJi,  "  shelly "),  rose  into  importance  in 
the  thirteenth  century,  when  Maurice  Fitzgerald,  Earl  of  Kildare,  erected 
in  it  a  castle  and  a  monastery,  both  of  which  were  destroyed  by 
O'Donnel  in  1270,  and  again  by  Mac  William  Burgh,  after  being 
rebuilt  by  the  Earl  of  Ulster.  Of  the  former  there  are  no  traces, 
but  of  the  Abbey  of  Sligo  considerable  remains  exist.  The  restored 
edifice  was  burnt  in  1414,  but  shortly  after  re-erected,  indulgences 
being  granted  by  Pope  John  XXII.  to  those  who  contributed  towards 
the  expense.  It  is  now  a  picturesque  ruin  of  very  large  dimensions, 
divided  into  several  apartments.  The  first  has  a  beautiful  window  of 
carved  stone,  under  which  is  the  altar,  also    of  cut  stone.      Here  are 


THE  TOWN  OF  SLIGO. 


195 


two  ancient  monuments,  one  bearing  the  date  1 6 1 6,  and  the  other 
belonging  to  one  of  the  O'Connor  kings,  1623,  the  latter  in  good 
preservation.  The  steeple  or  dome  is  supported  upon  a  carved  arch 
or  cupola,  the  inside  of  which  is  also  carved.  Adjoining,  on  three 
sides  of  a  square,  are  beautifully-carved  little  arches  or  cloisters,  of  about 
four  feet  in  height,  which  seem  to  have  been  anciently  separated  from 
each  other,  and  probably  formed  cells  for  confession  and  penance. 
Almost  all  the  pillars  are  differently  ornamented,  and  one  in  particular, 
very  unlike  the  rest,  has  a  human  head  cut  on  the  inside  of  the  arch. 

Sligo  obtained  a  charter  of  incorporation  in  161 3,  and  in  1641 
sustained  a  siege  and  was  captured  and  held  for  a  time  by  the  Parlia- 
mentary army  under  Sir  Charles  Coote.  It  subsequently  espoused  the 
side  of  James  II.,  and  was  in  turn  occupied  for  William  III.  by  the 
Enniskilleners,  taken  by  General  Sarsfield,  and  finally  surrendered  to 
the  Earl  of  Granard.  It  is  now  an  important  sea-port  of  over  10,000 
inhabitants,  having  regular  steam  communication  with  Glasgow  and 
Liverpool,  and  is  the  terminus  of  a  branch  of  the  Midland  Great  Western 
Railway  connected  with  the  main  line  at  Mullingar.  It  is  open  to  the 
Atlantic  Ocean  on  the  west  through  Sligo  Bay,  a  small  arm  of  the  sea, 
while  towards  the  northeast  it  is  backed  up  by  fine  mountains,  and  on 
the  southwest  is  connected  by  a  short  river  with  Lough  Gill,  the  whole 
combining  a  series  of  picturesque  scenes  that  it  is  the  lot  of  few 
commercial  towns  to  have  in  such  close  proximity.  The  river  Garrogue, 
where  it  passes  through  the  town,  is  crossed  by  two  bridges  connecting 
its  parts,  the  houses  of  which  slope  upwards  from  the  banks  of  the 
stream.  The  shipping  is  accommodated  by  the  Ballast  Bank  Quay, 
2250  feet  in  length,  at  which  vessels  drawing  13  feet  of  water  can  lie, 
while  those  of  large  draught  find  safe  anchorage  in  the  pool.  St.  John's 
Church  is  a  pointed  cruciform  structure  with  a  massive  western  tower. 
The  county  buildings  are  hardly  worthy  of  special  notice.  Sligo  is  the 
residence  of  the  Roman  Catholic  bishop  of  Elphin,*  which  small  but 
ancient  cathedral  city  lies  about  40  miles  to  the  southeast.  At 
Carrowmore,  about  three  miles  from  Sligo,  there  are  some  very  extensive 


*  The  see  of  Elphin  was  erected  about  450  by  St.  Patrick,  who  appointed  a  monk  named  Assicus  the  first 
bishop  ;  but  no  regular  succession  of  prelates  is  recorded  previous  to  1262.  The  Protestant  see  was  united  to 
Kilmore  and  Ardagh  in  1841. 


196 


LONDONDERRY  AND   THE  NORTHWEST. 


monumental  remains— 64  in  all — consisting  of  cairns,  circles,  dolmens,  etc., 
greater  in  number  than  are  to  be  found  elsewhere  in  the  British  Isles. 
It  is  presumed  that  they  mark  the  battle-ground  of  Northern  Moytura, 
an  early  Irish  conflict,  and  cover  the  graves  of  the  slain. 

The  people  of  Sligo  are  not  only  blest  by  having  within  easy  access 
mountain  peaks  from  which  they  can  obtain  extensive .  and  delightful 
views,  but  they  have  almost  at  their  very  doors  a  beautiful  lake  dotted 
over  and  environed  with  sylvan  charms  of  the  most  attractive  character. 
An  excursion  to  Hazlewood  and  Lough  Gill,  sometimes  called  Lough 
Gilly,  was  a  treat  that  we  could  not  withstand.  A  row  of  a  little  over 
two  miles  on  the  river,  with  its  pleasant  grassy  and  wooded  banks, 
carried  us  into  the  lough,  which  in  itself  is  a  sheet  of  water  about  five 
miles  in  length  by  one-and-a-half  broad,  and  90  feet  deep,  embosomed 
in  an  amphitheatre  of,  and  almost  entirely  encircled  by  hills,  and 
scarcely  surpassed  in  picturesque  effect  by  the  famed  Lakes  of  Killarney. 
Hazlewood,  one  of  the  finest  and  most  charming  estates  in  Ireland, 
extends  on  both  sides  of  the  lake  and  along  the  river.  The  mansion, 
situated  on  a  small  promontory  at  the  outlet  of  the  lake,  is  the  seat 
of  the  Right  Honorable  John  A.  Wynne,  to  whose  taste,  and  that  of 
his  father  in  the  plantation  of  ornamental  trees,  must  be  accredited 
much  of  the  pleasure  derivable  from  a  visit  to  this  lovely  spot.  Mr. 
Inglis  was  particularly  charmed  with  it,  and  speaks  in  rhapsodies  of  the 
magnificent  timber  he  found  in  the  demesne.  Of  the  lake  he  remarks : 
"  Its  scenery  is  not  stupendous — scarcely  even  anywhere  bold  ;  but  it 
is  '  beautiful  exceedingly.'  Its  boundaries  are  not  mountains,  but  hills 
of  sufficient  elevation  to  form  a  picturesque  and  striking  outline.  The 
hill  sides,  which  in  some  places  rise' abruptly  from  the  water,  and  which 
in  others  slope  more  gently,  are  covered  to  a  considerable  elevation 
with  wood  ;  and  the  lake  is  adorned  with  twenty-three  islands,  almost 
every  one  of  them  finely  wooded.  Here,  too,  as  well  as  on  Hazlewood 
demesne,  I  found  that  the  arbutus  is  not  confined  to  Killarney.  The 
extent  of  Lough  Gilly  is  highly  favorable  to  its  beauty.  The  eye 
embraces  at  once  its  whole  length  and  breadth  ;  the  whole  circum- 
ference of  its  shores  ;  all  their  varieties  and  contrasts  at  once  ;  all  its 
islands.  One  charm  is  not  lost  in  the  contemplation  of  another,  as  in 
a  greater  lake  :    the  whole  is  seen  at  once  and  enjoyed."    The  largest 


BALL  YSADARE  AND  BALLINA. 


197 


of  the  islands  are  Cottage  Island  at  the  entrance,  and  Church  Island, 
on  which  there  are  some  ruins,  in  the  centre — both  favorite  resorts  of 
the  Sligo  people.  The  limestone  banks  of  some  of  the  islands  are 
curiously  perforated  and  ribbed  by  the  action  of  carbonic  acid.  In  the 
deer  park  of  Hazlewood  is  a  stone  enclosure  called  Lcacht  Con  Mic 
Ruis,  "  the  Stone  of  Con,  Son  of  Rush,"  the  space  in  the  middle 
being  50  feet  long  by  25  wide,  and  connected  by  an  avenue  with  two 
smaller  enclosures.  In  addition  to  this  relic,  not  less  than  30  raths 
are.  to  be  found  within  a  circuit  of  three  miles. 

The  main  point  of  attraction  on  the  thirty-six  miles'  drive  between 
Sligo  and  Ballina  is  the  small  town  of  Ballysadare,  four  miles  on  the 
road.  In  approaching  it  we  passed  on  our  right  the  Hill  of  Knocknarea, 
1078  feet  high,  east  of  the  entrance  to  Ballysadare  Bay,  and  on  our 
left  the  Slish  Mountains  ;  while  the  railway  from  Sligo  to  Mullingar 
kept  us  close  company  previous  to  trending  to  the  southeast.  Bally- 
sadare is  a  prosperous  place,  having  a  valuable  salmon  fishery  on  the 
river  Owenmore,  which  dashes  in  rapids  through  the  town  as  it  enters 
the  bay  which  meets  the  ocean  in  company  with  that  of  Sligo. 
Overlooking  the  rapids  on  the  western  bank  are  the  ruins  of  a  small 
ivy-grown  abbey  founded  by  St.  Fechin  in  the  seventh  century.  For 
half  the  rest  of  the  way  the  road  took  us  westward  as  far  as  Dromore, 
first  leaving  on  our  right  Aughris  Head  guarding  the  entrances  to  Sligo 
and  Ballysadare  bays,  then  continuing  not  far  from  the  Atlantic  coast 
and  presenting  fine  sea  views.  At  Dromore  we  turned  to  the  south- 
west, leaving  several  headlands  some  miles  to  our  right,  and  passed 
over  very  uninteresting  moorland  country,  only  relieved  by  the  distant 
Ox  Mountains  on  our  left. 

Ballina  (Bel 'an-atka,  "  Mouth  of  the  Ford "),  is  pleasantly  situated 
upon  the  river  Moy  at  the  point  where  it  becomes  a  broad  stream, 
and  five  miles  above  its  entrance  into  Ballina  Bay.  The  river  divides 
the  counties  of  Sligo  and  Mayo,  while  the  town  has  a  population  of 
about  5000,  and  is  situated  on  both  banks,  the  larger  portion  on  the 
left  or  Mayo  side,  and  the  lesser,  popularly  called  Ardnaree,  on  the 
right  or  Sligo  bank.  Two  handsome  bridges  cross  the  Moy,  whose 
waters  dash  over  some  bold  rapids  through  the  town  and  pass  to  the 
quay   a   mile    below,  affording    sights    and    sounds  pleasant  to  the  eye 


198 


LONDONDERRY  AND   THE  NORTHWEST. 


and  ear.  The  tide  flows  up  to  the  town,  but  the  river  is  not  navigable 
higher  than  the  quay,  and  there  only  to  vessels  of  less  than  450  tons. 
Ballina's  only  historical  incident  is  its  capture  in  1798  by  the  French 
under  General  Humbert,  who  landed  at  Killala.  On  the  Sligo  side  are 
the  ruins  of  an  abbey  founded  by  St.  Bolcan,  and  a  fine  Roman 
Catholic  cathedral,  Ballina  being  the  residence  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
bishop  of  Killala.  Though  the  town  is  not  very  attractive,  it  presents 
fine  views  of  Mount  Nephin  and  the  other  hills  west  of  Lough  Conn. 
It  is,  however,  a  favorite  resort  of  the  angler,  who  finds  abundant  sport 
in  the  river  and  neighboring  lakes.  The  salmon  fishery  of  the  Moy 
is  important  and  one  of  the  most  productive  in  Ireland.  Anglers  are 
freely  granted  permission  to  fish,  but  are  required  to  pay  for  all  they 
catch  at  wholesale  value.  Ballina  has  steam  communication  with 
Glasgow,  and  is  the  terminus  of  a  branch  line  from  the  Mayo  division 
of  the  Midland  Great  Western  Railway,  which  unites  with  the  trunk 
line  at  Athlone. 

From  Ballina  we  drove  northwardly  along  the  old  hilly  road  that 
skirts  the  left  or  Mayo  bank  of  the  river  to  Killala,  and  at  four  miles 
came  upon  the  ruins  of  Roserk  Abbey,  or  the  monastery  of  Rosserik 
{Ross-Searka,  the  Promontory  of  Searka),  calmly  slumbering  in  a 
sequestered  dell  overlooking  the  Moy  at  its  broadest  part.  It  was 
founded  for  Franciscan  friars  by  the  Joyce  sept,  of  whom  we  shall 
have  something  to  say  in  the  next  chapter  ;  and  in  style  is  very 
similar  to  the  Abbey  of  Clare-Gahvay,  being  cruciform  in  shape,  and 
having  a  lofty  tower  rising  from  the  intersection  of  nave  and 
transepts. 

Two  miles  further  on  are  the  better  preserved  ruins  of  the  once 
magnificent  Abbey  of  Moyne,  lying  in  a  sequestered  pastoral  district, 
on  the  banks  of  the  Bay  of  Killala,  watered  by  a  small  rill,  which, 
dipping  into  the  granular  limestone,  reappears  under  the  abbey  and 
supplied  the  convent.  The  building,  erected  in  1641,  is  135  feet  in 
leneth  and  has  some  decorated  windows  and  a  slender  tower.  The 
latter  can  be  safely  ascended,  and  presents  from  its  summit  a  good 
view  of  the  ruins,  the  surrounding  country,  the  bay,  diversified  by 
the  Island  of  Bartragh,  and  the  accompanying  ledges  of  long,  low/ 
white-crested '  sand  hills. 


KILLALA  AND   THE  MAYO  COAST. 


199 


The  ancient  cathedral  city  of  Killala  is  two  miles  still  further  to  the 
north,  also  upon  the  margin  of  the  bay.  The  see*  was  founded  by 
St.  Patrick  between  434  and  441.  The  cathedral,  erected  in  the 
seventeenth  century  and  since  altered,  is  a  plain  building,  occupying 
the  site  of  the  original  church  erected  by  Gobhan  Saer,  the  great 
architect  of  the  sixth  century.  There  is  also  a  Round  Tower  on  an 
insulated  height,  but  it  was  struck  and  considerably  damaged  by 
lightning  in  1800.  This  tower,  together  with  those  at  Kilmacduagh 
and  Antrim,  were  likewise  the  productions  of  Gobhan  Saer.  Killala 
Bay  was  the  scene,  during  the  rebellion  of  1798,  of  the  landing  of 
General  Humbert  with  a  force  of  1100  from  three  frigates,  which  had 
sailed  from  La  Rochelle  with  the  intention  of  disembarking  at  Donegal, 
but  were  driven  by  contrary  winds  to  this  point.  The  garrison  of 
Killala  at  the  time  consisted  of  50  men,  of  whom  two  were  killed  and 
twenty-one  taken  prisoners  by  the  invading  force,  while  the  remainder 
fled.  The  French  then  made  an  incursion  into  the  country,  killed  in 
an  ambuscade  the  Rev.  George  Fortescue,  of  Ballina,  and  two  men, 
captured  that  place  and  defeated  some  royalists  at  Castlebar,  after  which 
the  whole  force  were  taken  prisoners  at  Ballinamuck  by  Lord  Cornwallis, 
having  been  defeated  by  him  in  battle. 

Following  the  line  of  coast,  Ballycastle  lies  about  nine  miles  to  the 
northwest  of  Killala,  beyond  the  mouth  of  its  bay,  and  commands  a 
fine  view  of  Downpatrick  Head  jutting  out  into  the  Atlantic  about  three 
miles  to  its  north,  and  rising  to  a  height  of  126  feet  over  the  sea 
level.  The  coast,  which  then  proceeds  for  about  20  miles  in  a  direct 
line  west,  presents  lofty  cliffs  of  from  600  to  800  feet  in  height,  with 
their  bases  riven  and  serrated  by  the  action  of  the  waves — like  those 
seen  in  other  parts  of  the  Atlantic  seaboard.  We  did  not,  however, 
proceed  so  far,  but  returned  to  Ballina,  and  thence  engaged  a  car  to 
convey  us  to  Castlebar,  a  score  of  miles  to  the  south,   in  order  that 

*  The  Protestant  bishopric  of  Killala  had  that  of  Achonry  annexed  to  it  in  1623,  and  in  accordance  with  the 
church  temporalities  act  of  1833,  the  united  sees  were  annexed  to  Tuam  on  their  voidance  in  1834.  In  the 
Roman  Catholic  church  Killala  and  Achonry  are  distinct  sees,  with  the  bishop  of  the  former  residing  at  Ballina, 
and  of  the  latter  at  Ballaghadereen.  The  bishopric  of  Achonry  in  Sligo  County,  formerly  called  Achad-Chaoin, 
and  Ackad-Conair,  was  one  of  the  most  ancient  in  Ireland.  Its  church  is  said  to  have  been  founded  about  530 
by  St.  Finian,  Bishop  of  Clonard,  on  a  site  granted  by  the  Lord  of  Leney,  or  Luigny,  by  which  name  the  bishops 
were  first  known.    St.  Finian's  friend  and  disciple  Nathy,  was  the  first  bishop. 


200 


LONDONDERRY  AND  THE  NORTHWEST. 


we  might  see  Loughs  Conn  and  Cullen,  and  passed  between  them  at 
about  midway.  We  could  have  readied  Castlebar  in  much  shorter  time 
by  railway,  though  the  distance  is  some  five  miles  more,  but  then  we 
should  have  missed  the  view  of  the  larger  and  finer  lake. 

The  view  of  Lough  Conn  and  Mount  Nephin,  as  depicted  in  our 
engraving,  exhibits  the  lake,  bordered  on  the  west  by  the  huge  mountain, 
the  highest  in  Mayo,  lifting  its  head  to  an  elevation  of  2646  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  two  lakes  are  only  separated  by  a 
narrow  neck  of  land,  the  northern,  Lough  Conn,  which  contains  a  few 
small  islands,  being  about  eight  miles  in  length  and  three-and-a-half  in 
breadth  at  its  widest  point,  and  at  its  northeastern  corner  only  about 
four  miles  from  Ballina.  The  other,  Lough  Cullen,  sometimes  called 
Lower  Lough  Conn,  is  about  three  miles  long  by  one-and-a-half  broad. 
With  the  exception  of  Mount  Nephin  and  its  spurs  to  the  west  of 
Lough  Conn,  the  shores  of  both  sheets  of  water  are  low  and  marshy  and 
devoid  of  interest  ;  the  view,  however,  of  the  upper  lake,  when  coupled 
with  the  rocky  height  that  stands  sentry  over  it,  is  remarkably  fine. 
The  elevation  of  these  lakes  above  the  sea  level  is  stated  to  be  from  37 
to  42  feet,  there  being  a  difference  of  five  feet  between  summer  and 
winter.  Lough  Conn  is  fed  by  the  river  Deel,  which  enters  its  north- 
western extremity,  and  by  many  mountain  rills  ;  and  Lough  Cullen  by 
streams  entering  it  from  the  south,  the  principal  of  which,  the  Clydagh, 
is  the  outlet  of  some  small  lakes  near  Castlebar.  Both  lakes  discharge 
their  waters  through  a  shallow  and  short  channel  of  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  in  length,  running  from  the  eastern  extremity  of  Lough  Cullen 
into  the  river  Moy,  near  to  the  point  where  it  makes  a  sudden  change 
in  its  course  from  west  to  north.  An  extraordinary  phenomenon  is 
observable  in  the  ebbing  and  flowing  of  these  lakes,  though  there  is  no 
tidal  connection  between  them  and  the  sea,  the  water  sometimes  rushing 
with  great  force  through  the  connecting  channel  from  Lough  Conn  into 
Lough  Cullen,  and  at  other  times  in  the  opposite  direction,  so  that 
they  have  alternately  high  and  low  water,  the  marks  of  which  are 
discernible  on  the  shores. 

Sir  John  Forbes,  writing  in  1852,  relates  of  these  lakes  from 
information  received  on  the  spot,  that  "  they  were  formerly,  and  from 
time  immemorial,  celebrated  for  the  great  quantity  of  trout  and  salmon 


THE  PONTOON  BRIDGE  AND  CASTLEBAR. 


201 


contained  in  them.  These  have,  within  these  dozen  years,  sustained  a 
wonderful  diminution,  especially  the  trout,  from  the  introduction  of  pike 
into  the  lakes  about  the  time  specified.  How  this  introduction  took 
place  no  one  seems  to  know,  though  there  is  so  pretty  a  legend  got  up 
respecting  it,  that  it  makes  one  almost  regret  that  it  is  not  true.  It  is 
stated  that  an  old  poacher  on  the  lakes,  convicted  and  punished  for  his 
misdemeanors,  conceived  a  project  of  revenge  on  those  who  had  been 
instrumental  in  his  disgrace,  that  should  touch  them  all  very  nearly. 
This  was  the  introduction  of  some  living  pikes  into  the  lake,  which  he  is 
reported  to  have  brought  from  some  distant  lough  in  the  county  of 
Galway." 

The  carriage  road  from  Ballina  to  Castlebar  is  carried  over  the  stream 
connecting  the  two  lakes  by  what  is  known  as  the  Pontoon  Bridge, 
consisting  of  a  bold  single  arch,  from  the  top  of  which  remarkable  and 
beautiful  views  are  obtainable.  The  boggy  and  moorland  character  of 
the  country,  with  patches  of  small  farms,  which  had  met  our  view  before 
approaching  the  lakes,  was  continued  throughout  the  rest  of  our  journey 
to  Castlebar,  the  road  thither  passing  Turlough,  in  which  there  are  some 
interesting  church  ruins,  and  another  ancient  Round  Tower. 

Castlebar,  though  the  county  town  of  Mayo,  and  a  pleasant  little 
place,  possesses  nothing  important  to  detain  the  wayfarer.  Its  greatest 
notoriety  is  obtainable  from  its  capture  by  the  French  under  Gen.  Hum- 
bert in  1 798,  of  which  we  have  already  spoken,  when  the  enemy  routed 
a  stronger  force  under  Gen.  Lake,  whose  headlong  flight  and  pursuit  has 
been  sarcastically  designated  as  "Castlebar  Races."  At  Castlebar  we  took 
the  branch  of  the  Midland  Great  Western  Railway  to  its  terminus  at 
Westport,  and  passed  over  eleven  miles  of  uninteresting  country,  with 
some  distant  glimpses  of  mountain  ranges. 


202 


CONNEMARA  AND  JOYCE'S  COUNTRY. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

CONNEMARA    AND    JOYCE'S  COUNTRY. 

Historic  Districts —  Westport  and  Clew  Bay — Croagh  Patrick  and  the  Prospect  it  embraces — 
Achill  and  Clare  Islands — Grace  O'Malley,  the  Sea  Rover — Leenane — The  Joyce 
Family — The  Killary — Loughs  Fee  and  Kylemore — Pass  of  Kylemore — Letter/rack — 
Lough  Inagh — Maamturc  and  Binabola  Mountains — Characteristics  of  the  Scenery — 
Loughs  Derryclare  and  Garromin — Roads  to  Galway  and  Cong — Hens  Castle — Cong, 
its  Abbey  and  ancient  Crosses — Monumental  Remains — Subterranean  River — Plain  of 
Moytura — Loughs  Mask  and  Corrib,  their  islands  and  fortresses — Return  to  Galway — 
Ancient  Irish  Forests — Humidity  of  the  Climate — Concluding  remarks. 

OUR  survey  of  the  Emerald  Isle  terminated  with  a  visit  to  those 
wild  and  romantic,  but  picturesque,  regions  of  the  west,  which 
cover  portions  of  the  counties  of  Galway  and  Mayo,  but  are  popu- 
larly designated  Connemara  and  Joyce's  Country,  and  whose  coastline 
we  visited  on  our  cruise,  and  described  in  our  first  volume.  Con- 
nemara, already  mentioned  as  signifying  "  Bays  of  the  Sea,"  may  be 
said  to  comprise  that  portion  of  Galway  which  lies  between  Lough 
Corrib  and  the  Atlantic,  except  the  portion  bordering  on  the  Killary, 
which,  with  the  district  lying  to  the  north-west  of  Loughs  Mask  and 
Corrib,  and  an  adjoining  strip  of  Mayo,  constitutes  Joyce's  Country, 
while  the  district  lying  southwest  of  Lough  Corrib,  and  north  of 
the  bay  of  Galway  is  distinguished  as  Jar-Connaught,  or  Western 
Connaught,  and  was  formerly  the  headquarters  of  the  powerful  clan 
of  the  O'Flahertys.  Connemara  embraces  the  noble  Twelve  Pins  of 
Binabola,  while  Joyce's  Country  includes  the  Maamturc  Mountains, 
Lough  Mask,  the  upper  end  of  Lough  Corrib,  and  a  portion  of  the 
fine  scenery  of  Killary  harbor. 

Westport,  however,  where  we  left  the  reader  at  the  close  of  the 
last  chapter,   is  some  miles  north  of  this  region,  so  we  must  treat  of 


WESTPORT   CLEW  BAY,  AND  CROAGH  PATRICK. 


203 


it  and  of  its  pleasant  and  grand  surroundings  before  we  speak  of  the 
peaks  and  passes  of  the  Irish  Switzerland.  The  town,  which  obtains 
its  name  from  its  westerly  position,  once  possessed  a  fair  export  trade, 
and  was  a  considerable  producer  of  linen,  but  both  industries  have 
declined  in  late  years.  Yet  should  its  situation  as  a  railway  terminus 
have  the  effect  of  re-establishing  its  prosperity,  it  will  not  lack  the 
accommodation  necessary  to  carry  on  an  extensive  business,  for  even 
in  its  palmiest  days  its  warehouses  and  its  grand  hotel  must  have 
been  of  a  character  more  befitting  the  requirements  of  a  commercial 
metropolis  than  of  a  provincial  seaport.  Though  many  of  its  establish- 
ments are  now  untenanted,  the  town  has  an  air  of  neatness,  which 
is  enhanced  by  the  stone  quay  bordering  the  stream  which  bisects  it, 
previous  to  entering  Clew  Bay,  at  whose  southeastern  corner  Westport 
stands.  The  bay,  as  seen  from  the  town,  presents  a  checkered  aspect, 
for  it  is  dotted  over  with  islands,  of  which  it  embraces  a  greater 
number  than  any  on  the  Irish  coast.  On  the  margin  of  the  bay, 
Croagh  Patrick,  or  as  it  is  called  in  the  vicinity,  the  Reek,  raises  its 
lofty  head  to  the  height  of  2510  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  waters 
which  glisten  at  its  base.  It  is  approached  through  the  demesne  of 
the  Marquis  of  Sligo,  the  proprietor  of  the  district,  whose  handsome 
mansion  decorates  the  centre  of  the  park,  the  gates  of  which,  close 
to  the    town  are  ever    open  to  the  public. 

Croagh  Patrick  {Cruach-Phadraig,  the  Rick  of  St.  Patrick),  is  the 
distinguishing  feature  of  all  the  views  hereabouts,  and  its  lofty  eminence 
is  celebrated  as  a  place  of  religious  pilgrimage  at  certain  seasons,  when 
its  sides  are  climbed  by  devotees  from  all  parts  of  Ireland,  who  "perform 
stations"  as  they  ascend,  and  upon  reaching  the  summit  proceed  upon 
their  knees  fifteen  times  around  the  long  station,  four  hundred  yards  in 
circumference.*  At  the  point  where  the  ascent  begins,  six  miles  from 
Westport,  stands  the  ruined  monastery  of  Murrisk,  founded  by  the 
O'Malleys  lor  Austin  friars,  and  containing  the  tomb  of  the  O'Malleys, 
part  of  a  stone  altar  cross  representing  the  Crucifixion,  and  a  collection 

*  St.  Patrick  is  said  to  have  stood  on  the  verge  of  a  very  deep  precipice  on  the  south  side  of  this  moun- 
tain, called  Lug  na  Narrib,  and  there  cursed  all  the  toads  and  venomous  reptiles  in  Ireland.  We  are  assured 
that  he  "stood,  bell  in  hand,  and  every  time  he  rang  it  he  flung  it  away  from  him,  and  it,  instead  of  plung- 
ing down  the  Lug,  was  brought  back  to  his  hand  by  ministering  spirits  ;  and  every  time  it  thus  hastily  was 
rung,  thousands  of  toads,  adders,  and  noisome  things,  went  down,  tumbling  neck  and  heels  one  after  the  other." 


204 


CONNEMARA   AND  JOYCE'S  COUNTRY. 


of  immense  thigh  bones.  To  the  searcher  after  scenic  effect  the  labor  of 
a  climb  is  amply  repaid  by  the  view  obtained  when  the  platform  on  the 
top  of  Croagh  Patrick  is  reached  ;  for  he  has  then  before  him  the  whole 
expanse  of  Clew  Bay,  almost  a  parallelogram  in  shape,  18  to  20  miles 
long  by  8  or  10  wide,  with  its  hundred  islands,  varying  from  a  few  acres 
to  a  mile  in  extent,  the  majority  of  which  are  grouped  so  near  the  shore 
that   down  below  they  look  like  part  of  the  mainland. 

"Probably,"  says  Murray,  "no  bay  in  the  kingdom  is  surrounded  by 
such  magnificent  ranges  of  mountains.  On  the  south  the  rugged  declivi- 
ties of  the  Reek  run  down  almost  to  the  water's  edge,  while  further 
seaward  the  coast  is  overhung,  though  at  a  greater  distance,  by  Mweelrea, 
Benbury,  and  the  mountains  of  the  Murrisk  -  district.  On  the  north  are 
the  wild  and  lofty  ranges  of  the  Nephin  Beg,  ending  in  the  precipices 
of  Slieve  More  and  Croghan  in  Achill  Island.  The  precipitous  cliffs  of 
Clare  Island  form  a  fitting  seaward  termination  to  the  beauties  of  this 
wonderful  bay."  While  of  the  Reek  he  remarks  that  from  its  height  it 
"affords  most  splendid  panoramas  of  the  west  of  Ireland,  extending 
northwards  over  Murrisk,  Ballycroy,  Achill,  Erris,  even  to  Slieve  League 
on  the  coast  of  Donegal,  and  southward  to  the  Leenane  district  and  the 
Twelve  Pins." 

The  island  of  Achill  lies  at  the  northern  entrance  to  Clew  Bay, 
between  the  Atlantic  Ocean  and  the  mainland,  from  which  it  is  separated 
by  a  channel  a  mile  in  width.  It  is  the  largest  island  off  the  Irish  coast, 
being  about  16  miles  long  and  7  broad,  is  of  irregular  shape,  and  has  a 
population  of  about  5000,  who  live  in  rude  hovels.  There  is  scarcely 
a  tree  upon  it,  the  vegetation  consisting  almost  exclusively  of-heath,  juni- 
per, and  coarse  grasses.  It  possesses  two  lofty  mountains — Slieve  More, 
2204  feet  high,  and  Slieve  Croghan,  2192  feet.  The  latter  stands  on 
the  western  verge  of  the  island,  and,  while  sloping  to  landward,  presents 
a  terrific  precipitous  side  to  the  ocean,  whose  angry  waves  at  times  lash 
it  with  tempestuous  fury. 

Clare  Island,  situate  about  midway  in  the  entrance  to  Clew  Bay, 
is  four  miles  long  by  one  and  a  half  broad,  and  contains  a  popu- 
lation of  about  4000  persons.  It  is  the  most  fertile  of  the  many 
islands  surrounding  the  kingdom,  and  is  celebrated  in  history  as  the 
principal  abode  of  Grana  Uaile,  the  heroine  of   the  seas.     From  the 


GRACE  O'M ALLEY,  THE  SEA  ROVER. 


205 


hill  of  Knockmore,  1520  feet  in  height,  rising  on  the  west  of  the 
island,  very  fine  views  are  obtained  of  the  neighboring  coast.  Doona 
Castle,  near  the  southern  margin,  and  of  which  nothing  now  remains 
but  a  square  keep,  was  Grana  Uaile's  principal  stronghold,  and  it  was 
in  the  little  bay  which  indents  the  shore  that  her  fleet  was  moored. 
It  is  said  that  so  vigilant  was  she  that  the  cable  of  her  chief  galley 
was  passed  through  a  hole  in  the  wall  and  fastened  to  her  bed-post, 
in  order  that  she  might  be  readily  alarmed  in  the  event  of  any 
attempted  surprise.  On  the  western  side  of  the  island  are  the  ruins 
of  Clare  Abbe)',  which  claims  to  be  the  last  resting-place  of  the  female 
rover.  It  once  possessed  a  skull  with  gold  ear-rings  attached,  which 
tradition  accorded  to  the  heroine,  and  its  disappearance  is  attributed 
to  the  depredations  of  a  speculative  Scotchman,  who  rifled  the  burying 
grounds  on  the  western  coast  of  their  bones  for  the  purpose  of 
converting  them  to  fertilizing  uses.  In  this  individual  case  retributive 
justice  may  have  stepped  in  to  avenge  the  raids  of  the  rover  upon 
her  Scottish  neighbors.  On  the  mainland,  near  to  Newport,  at  the 
northeastern  corner  of  Clew  Bay,  are  the  square  keep  and  ruins  of 
the  Castle  of  Carrigahooly,  the  Rock  of  the  Fleet,  another  of  Grana 
Uaile's  strongholds,  and  not  far  from  it  the  interesting  remains  of 
Burrishoole  Monastery,  which  contends  with  Clare  Abbey  as  being 
the    place  whence  her  skull  was  carried  off.  * 

*  We  abridge  from  Mr.  Otway's  work  an  account  of  the  heroine  of  the  West  : — Grace  O'Malley,  corrupted 
into  Grana  Uaile,  was  the  daughter  of  Breanhaun  Crone  O'Maille,  tanist  or  chieftain  of  that  district  of  Mayo 
surrounding  Clew  Bay,  and  comprising  its  multitude  of  isles,  still  called  by  the  old  people  the  Uisles  of 
O'Malley  ;  and  its  lord,  owning,  as  he  did,  a  great  extent  of  coast,  and  governing  an  adventurous  seafaring 
people,  had  good  claim  to  his  motto,  "  Terra  Marique  Potens."  Breanhaun  Crone  O'Maille  dying  early,  left 
a  son  and  daughter — the  son  a  mere  child,  but  the  daughter,  just  ripened  into  womanhood,  seemed  to  have  a 
character  suited  to  seize  the  reins  of  government,  and  rule  over  this  rude  and  brave  people.  Setting  aside, 
then,  the  laws  of  tanistry,  that  confined  the  succession  to  the  nearest  male,  the  latter  took  upon  herself  not 
only  the  government,  but  the  generalship  of  her  sept,  and  far  exceeded  all  her  family  in  exploits  as  a 
sea  rover ;  and  from  her  success,  whether  as  a  smuggler  or  pirate,  won  the  name  of  Grace  of  the  Heroes. 
Acting  in  this  wild  and  able  way,  she  soon  gathered  round  her  all  the  outlaws  and  adventurers  that  abounded 
in  the  islands,  and  from  her  daring  strokes  of  policy,  and  the  way  in  which  she  bent  to  her  purpose  the 
conflicting  interests  of  the  English  government  and  the  Irish  races,  was  called  the  Gambler.  As  a  matter  of 
interest,  she  took  for  her  first  husband  O'Flaherty,  Prince  of  Connemara  ;  and  there  is  reason  to  suppose  that 
the  grey  mare  proved  the  better  horse, for  Castle  Kirke,  on  Lough  Corrib,  would  have  been  lost  to  the  Joyces, 
by  O'Flaherty  the  Cock,  had  it  not  been  for  Grana  the  Hen  ;  hence  it  got  the  name  which  it  still  keeps,  of 
Krislane  na  Kirca,  the  Hen's  Castle.  Grana's  husband,  the  Prince  of  Connemara,  dying,  left  her  free  to  make 
another  connection,  in  which,  too,  she  consulted  her  policy  rather  than  her  affections.    She  then  became  the  wife 


206 


CONNEMARA  AND  JOYCE'S  COUNTRY. 


A  car  drive  of  eighteen  miles  took  us  from  Westport  to  Leenane, 


approaching.  Some  little  distance  past  midway,  at  Eriff  Bridge,  we 
joined  the  little  mountain  river  Eriff,  which   falls  into  the  head  of  the 


the  confines  of  the  county  of  Galway,  and  near  the  mouth  of  the  river, 
is  remarkable  for  the  natural  beauty  of  its  situation  in  the  midst  of  most 

of  Sir  Richard  Bourke,  the  M'William  Eighter,  and  tradition  says  that  in  accordance  with  the  marriage  contract 
the  union  was  to  last  positively  for  one  year,  at  the  end  of  which  time  if  either  said  to  the  other  "I  dismiss 
you,"  it  should  be  dissolved.  It  is  said,  that  during  that  year  Grana  caused  her  own  creatures  to  garrison  all 
M'William's  eastward  castles,  valuable  to  her,  and  then  as  the  lord  of  Mayo  one  day  approached  Carrigahooly, 
Grana  cried  out  the  dissolving  words.  Shortly  after,  Grana  joined  Sir  Richard  Bingham  against  the  Bourkes, 
and  doing  battle  with  the  English,  turned  the  fortune  of  the  day  in  favor  of  the  President  of  Connaught,  when 
most  of  the  M'William  leaders  being  taken  prisoners,  six  were  hanged,  "in  order  to  strengthen  the  English 
interest."  Probably  in  gratitude  for  this  signal  aid,  Queen  Elizabeth  invited  Grana  over  to  the  English  court, 
whither  she  sailed  from  Clare  Island,  and  before  arriving  at  the  port  of  Chester  was  delivered  of  a  son,  the  issue 
of  the  marriage  with  M'William  Eighter,  and  who  being  born  on  shipboard,  was  named  Tohaduah  na  Lung, 
or  Toby  of  the  Ship,  from  whom  sprung  the  Viscount  Mayo.  The  interview  at  Hampton  Court  between  the 
wild  woman  of  the  West,  and  the  "  awe  commanding  lion-ported"  Elizabeth  must  have  been  a  curious  scene. 
Fancy  Grana,  in  her  loose  attire,  consisting  of  a  chemise,  containing  30  yards  of  yellow  linen,  wound  round 
her  body,  with  a  mantle  of  frieze,  colored  madder  red,  flung  over  one  shoulder,  with  her  wild  hair  twisted 
round  a  large  golden  pin  as  her  only  head-gear,  standing  with  her  red  legs  unstockinged,  and  her  broad  feet 
unshod,  before,  the  stiff  and  stately  Tudor,  dressed  out  with  stays,  stomacher,  and  farthingale,  cased  like  an 
impregnable  armadillo.  Grana  having  made  a  bow,  held  out  her  bony  hand,  horny  as  it  was  with  many  an 
oar  she  had  handled,  and  many  a  helm  she  had  held,  to  sister  Elizabeth  (as  she  called  her),  and  sat  down 
with  as  much  self-possession  and  self-respect  as  an  American  Indian  chief  would  now  before  the  President  of 
the  United  States.  It  is  said  that  Elizabeth  observing  Grana's  fondness  for  snuff,  which,  though  a  practice 
newly  introduced,  she  had  picked  up  in  her  smuggling  enterprises,  and  perceiving  her  inconvenienced  from  the 
want  of  a  pocket-handkerchief,  presented  her  with  one  richly  embroidered,  which  Grana  took  indifferently, 
used  loudly,  and  then  cast  away  carelessly.  Evidently  Elizabeth  was  not  happy  in  the  presents  she  proffered 
to  her  guest,  for,  upon  offering  her  a  lapdog,  Grana  coolly  told  her  that  she  had  no  use  for  such  vermin, 
which  was  only  adapted  for  the  amusement  of  such  idlers  as  Her  Majesty.  Elizabeth  offered  at  the  last 
audience  to  create  Grana  a  countess,  when  the  latter  replied,  "I  don't  want  your  titles — arn't  we  both  equals? 
If  there  be  any  good  in  the  thing,  I  may  as  well  make  you  one  as  you  me.  Queen  of  England,  I  want 
nothing  from  you  ;  enough  for  me  it  is  to  be  at  the  head  of  my  nation  ;  but  you  may  do  what  you  like  with 
my  little  son,  Toby  of  the  Ship,  who  has  Saxon  blood  in  his  veins,  and  may  not  be  dishonored  by  a  Saxon 
title:  I  will  remain  as  I  am,  Grana  O'Maille  of  the  Uisles."  It  was  upon  her  return  home  from  this  visit 
that  Grana  abducted  the  heir  of  Howth,  (the  story  of  which  is  told  on  page  65  of  the  present  volume),  and 
carried  him  to  Doona  Castle  where  she  kept  him  for  a  time.  At  the  death  of  this  strange  and  fearless 
woman,  it  would  appear  that  the  power  which  was  but  concentrated  by  individual  vigor  and  ability,  dissolved 
with  the  spirit  that  gave  it  energy. 


SCENERY  OF  THE  K1LLARY. 


207 


magnificent  scenery,  and  for  having  been  once  the  capital  of  Joyce's 
Country,  and  the  residence  of  the  renowned  potentate  Jack  Joyce,  who 
dispensed  justice  and  potheen  at  the  little  country  inn  of  which  he  was 
the  landlord.*  This  small  hostelry  is  now  a  favorite  halting-place  for 
tourists  making  excursions  in  the  district. 

The  progenitor  of  the  Joyces,  after  whom  the  district  of  which 
Leenane  is  the  centre  is  named,  came  to  Ireland  in  the  reign  of 
Edward  I.,  and  acquired  considerable  property  in  Jar-Connaught,  south 
of  Connemara.  Many  instances  are  recorded  of  the  size  and  strength  of 
the  members  of  the  family,  whom  both  Mr.  Inglis  and  Mr.  Otway  found 
in  the  first  half  of  the  present  century  to  be  a  magnificent  race,  the 
former  considering  them  the  biggest,  stoutest,  and  tallest  he  had  seen  in 
Ireland,  eclipsing  even  the  peasantry  of  the  Tyrol. 

That  weird  inlet  of  the  sea,  the  Killary,f  is  at  its  head  confined 
within  narrow  limits  by  rugged  but  picturesque  shores,  and  presents  to 
the  eye  one  of  the  most  romantic  and  sequestered  scenes  that  this  region 
of  the  sublime  and  beautiful  can  produce.  As  seen  from  the  high  ground 
above  Leenane,  the  view  of  the  inlet,  stretching  its  dark  and  deep-cut 
line  through  the  mountains,  is  a  fine  sight,  which  Mr.  Otway  declares  to 
be  unlike  anything  else  he  saw  in  the  island ;  not,  perhaps,  presenting  so 
grand  a  prospect  as  either  Bantry  Bay  or  Lough  Swilly,  but  having 
features  all  its  own.  "  About  either  of  these  fine  estuaries,"  he  remarks, 
"  there  appears  something  that  man  has  done — man  has  some  share  in 
the  decoration  or  even  grandeur  of  the  scene  ;  but  here,  at  the  Killary, 
man  and  his  works  are  out  of  the  question  ;  no  sail  upon  the  waters ;  no 
cultivation  along  the  shore — all  as  rough  Nature  has  left  it ;   even  trees 

*  When  Jack  Joyce  resided  at  Leenane  he  was  undoubtedly  the  reigning  king  of  the  district,  and  a  visit 
to  him  was  considered  a  necessary  part  of  every  western  tour.  Mr.  Inglis  found  him  to  be  huge,  even  among 
the  tall  race  to  which  he  belonged,  "as  near  akin  to  a  giant  as  a  man  can  well  be  without  being  every  bit  a 
giant."  His  immense  stature  and  regal  authority,  however,  did  not  prevent  his  being  put  out  of  the  inn  at 
Leenane,  after  which  he  settled  upon  a  neighboring  farm  belonging  to  Trinity  College,  Dublin.  Mr.  Otway 
learned  from  his  neighbors  that  he  was  not  a  favorite,  that  he  was  too  apt  to  resort  to  his  strength  to  settle 
disputes,  when  the  fist  he  threw  into  the  balance  made  the  scale  descend  in  his  own  favor.  Indeed,  he 
acknowledged  to  him  on  one  of  his  visits, that,  as  a  justice  of  the  peace  was  a  great  way  off,  he  used  to  settle 
differences  amongst  the  neighbors  by  taking  the  parties  at  variance  by  the  nape  of  the  neck,  and  battering 
their  heads  together  until  they  consented  to  shake  hands  and  drink  a  pint  of  potheen  between  them, 
which,  of  course,  it  was  Jack's  office  to  furnish  for  a  consideration. 

fin  Irish,  Coilshally  Ruadh — Coil-Saile-Ruadh,  "the  narrow  red  brine,"  or  salt  water,  has  been  corrupted 
into  Keel-paaly  and  eventually  Keel-airy. 


208 


CONNEMARA  AND  JOYCE'S  COUNTRY. 


seem  out  of  character  with  the  place ;  and  there  is  the  deep  bay,  and 
there  are  the  high  mountains  all  around,  the  same,  we  may  suppose,  as 
when  the  first  sea  rover  turned  inwards  his  prow  for  shelter  or  curiosity, 
and  sought,  and  that  in  vain,  for  something  that  marked  the  occupa- 
tion and  dominion  of  man."  The  distinguished  author  of  "  A  Tour  in 
Connaught,"  stoutly  combats  Mr.  Inglis'  assimilation  of  this  inlet  to  the 
fiords  of  Norway;  for  the  latter,  he  maintains,  "supposes  pine-crowned 
precipices  hanging  and  frowning  over  the  deep  blue  wave;  but  this  is 
not  the  case  here ;  perfectly  bare  of  any  timber,  the  mountains,  though 
rising  all  around,  and  assuming  all  manner  of  outlines,  yet  shelve 
gradually  down  to  the  shore  rendering  the  character  of  the  place  not 
sublime  but  savage." 

Taking  a  boat  and  rowing  over  the  sombre  waters  of  the  narrow  bay, 
the  mind  is  impressed  with  the  rugged  grandeur  which  encircles  the 
spectator.  Mr.  Otway  has  so  graphically  depicted  the  scene  that  we  do 
not  hesitate  to  transfer  his  impressions  to  our  pages,  since  they  perfectly 
harmonize  with  our  own  :  "  Nothing  can  be  finer  than  the  mountain 
scenery  all  around.  When  you  are  in  the  middle  of  the  bay  you 
seem  locked  in  on  every  side  ;  and  were  it  not  for  the  smell,  and 
color,  and  vegetation  peculiar  to  the  sea — the  incomparable  sea — you 
would  imagine  you  were  on  a  mountain  lake.  But  there  is  scarcely 
any  lake  that  has  not  a  flat,  tame  end,  generally  that  where  the 
superabundant  waters  flow  off  and  form  a  river  ;  but  here  nothing 
was  tame — on  every  side  the  magnificent  mountains  seemed  to  vie  with 
each  other  which  should  catch  and  keep  your  attention  most. 
Northwards  the  Fenamore  mountains  ;  the  Partree  range  to  the  east  ; 
Maamturc  to  the  south.  A  little  more  to  the  southwest,  the  sparkling 
cones  of  the  Twelve  Pins  of  Binabola  ;  then,  a  little  more  to  the  west, 
the  Renvyle  mountain  ;  and  off  to  the  north  of  that  again,  the 
monarch  of  the  whole  amphitheatre,  Mweelrea  with  its  cap  of  clouds 
that  it  has  caught,  and  anon  flings  fitfully  off,  as  much  as  to  say,  I  am 
the  great  cloud-compeller  of  Europe,  and  not  one  of  you,  ye  proud 
rangers  of  the  sky,  shall  come  from  the  banks  of  Newfoundland  without 
paying    me  tribute." 

The  successor  to  Jack  Joyce — in  the  inn-keeping,  not  the  judicial 
branch    of   his  business — having  supplied  us  with    the  necessary  means 


LOUGH  AND  PASS  OF  KYLEMORE. 


209 


of  locomotion,  we  started  in  the  early  morn  to  penetrate  the  lake- 
gemmed  dells  and  passes  of  the  Western  Highlands.  Our  first  stage 
took  us  along  the  Clifden  road  to  the  south  of  the  Killary,  whose 
bank  we  skirted  for  a  mile  or  two  with  the  mighty  Mweelrea  in  full 
view  on  our  right  ;  and  then,  parting  company  with  the  briny  inlet, 
passed  for  some  distance  over  a  dreary  moorland,  after  which  we 
dived  into  a  mountain  defile.  We  soon  descried  on  our  right  Lough 
Fee,  a  long  sheet  of  water  encircled  on  every  side,  except  to  seaward 
on  the  northwest,  by  lofty  hills,  of  which  the  southern  rises  to  the 
height  of  1973  feet.  We  next  skirted  the  northern  bank  of  Lough 
Kylemore,  a  placid  sheet  of  water  two  miles  long  and  about  half  a 
mile  broad,  embedded  in  mountains,  the  road  overhung  by  huge 
masses  of  rock,  bright  with  scales  of  silvery  mica,  and  verdant  with 
trailing  foliage  ;  while  towering  over  the  lake  to  the  south  are  ranged 
the  Twelve  Pins  of  Binabola,  which  are  seen  to  the  greatest  effect 
from  this  point,  where  their  heights  can  be  compared  with  those  of 
lesser  hills,  an  advantage  not  presented  when  viewed  from  the  boggy 
plains  that  border  their  southern  bases. 

The  pass  of  Kylemore,  three  miles  long,  is  the  loveliest  gem  of 
the  district,  and  a  noble  rival  to  the  celebrated  Gap  of  Dunloe. 
Doaghrue,  on  the  north  of  the  pass,  rises  to  the  height  of  171 7  feet, 
and  half  way  up  is  covered  with  wood,  with  bold  and  rocky  crags 
jutting  here  and  there  through  the  foliage.  The  name  of  Kylemore, 
or  "  big  wood,"  is  derived  from  this  vegetation,  the  only  natural  wood 
now  remaining  in  the  district,  which  the  large  amount  of  timber  found 
in  its  bos^s  assures  us  was  once  covered  with  forest.  The  mountains  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  pass  are  completely  bare  of  trees,  and  but 
scantily  covered  with  grass  and  heather,  but  their  bald  peaks  sparkle  in 
the  sunlight,  and  appear  like  burnished  silver  when  the  moon  beams 
upon  them.  A  very  handsome  castle  has  recently  been  built  upon  the 
north  of  Doaghrue,  by  Mitchel  Henry,  Esq.,  M.  P.  for  the  county,  who 
has  expended  considerable  money  in  reclaiming  bogs  and  improving  the 
district,  and  is  evidently  the  right  kind  of  a  "man  for  Galway."  The 
road  leads  past  the  small  Lough  Pollacappul,  through  which  the  waters 
of  Kylemore  run  on  their  way  to  the  ocean,  and  two  miles  beyond  the 
pass  is  the  little  village  of  Letterfrack,  about  a  dozen  miles  from  Leenane, 

U— 56 


210 


CONNEMARA   AND  JOYCE'S  COUNTRY. 


and  a  pleasant  and  thrifty  colony  established  some  years  ago  by  a  member 
of  the  Society  of  Friends,  named  Ellis.  The  road  proceeds  for  eight  or 
nine  miles  further  to  the  town  of  Clifden  ;  but  as  we  had  previously 
visited  the  latter  and  other  places  on  the  promontory  that  forms  the 
western  extremity  of  Connemara,  we  retraced  our  route  for  a  few  miles 
to  the  eastern  end  of  Lough  Kylemore,  where  we  turned  to  the  southeast 
upon  a  modern  road,  ten  miles  long,  constructed  in  the  famine  year  by 
the  Board  of  Works,  and  opening  out  a  previously  much  needed  passage 
through  Glen  Inagh  and  past  the  lough  of  that  name  to  the  road  leading 
from  Clifden  to  the  town  of  Galway. 

Lough  Inagh  extends  for  three  miles  down  the  valley  through  which 
the  road  runs,  and  is  approached  from  Kylemore,  through  Glen  Inagh 
the  pass  between  the  Twelve  Pins  on  the  right,  and  the  Maamturc 
range  on  the  left,  the  most  conspicuous  heights  of  the  latter  being,  com- 
mencing at  the  north,  Letter-breckaun  2193  feet,  Knock-na-hillion  1993 
feet,  Maumeen  2076  feet,  and  Shanfolagh  2003  feet.  The  opposite 
mountains  of  Binabola  (Beanna-Beola,  Peaks  of  Beola,  or  the  Twelve 
Pins  or  Bins),  form  the  dominant  feature  of  the  district.  They  are  a 
very  remarkable  group  culminating  in  Benbaun,  whose  "conical  dome-like 
forms,  and  the  distinct  individuality  of  each  mountain,"  says  Murray, 
"constitute  their  most  remarkable  characteristic.  This,  and  the  fact 
that  they  rise  from  a  plain  which  on  an  average  is  a  little  more  than 
100  feet  above  the  level  of  the  Atlantic,  gives  them  an  appearance  of 
greater  altitude  than  is  displayed  by  many  mountains  of  double  their 
height.  Like  the  Sugar  Loaf  Mountain  near  Dublin,  Croagh  Patrick 
near  Westport,  and  other  hills  of  similar  shape,  they  are  composed  of 
quartzite,  the  white  exposures  of  which,  when  lighted  by  the  sunbeams, 
add  considerably  to  the  scenic  effect  of  this  grand  and  picturesque 
range.  Benbaun,  2395  feet,  is  surrounded  by  Derryclare,  2220;  Benlettery, 
1904;  Bengower,  2184;  Benbreen,  2276;  Bencollaghduff,  2290;  Bencorr, 
2336;  Bencorrbeg,  1908;  Muckanaght,  2153;  Benglenisky,  2710;  Benbrach, 
1922,  and  a  small  supplementary  summit  known  as  the  key  of  the  Pins. 
The  beauty  of  their  scarred  and  precipitous  sides  is  still  further  enhanced 
by  the  coloring  imparted  to  them  from  the  various  heaths  and  lichens. 
The  tourist  who  wishes  for  a  magnificent  view  cannot  do  better  than 
ascend  Benlettery,  which,  though  not  quite  so  high  as  some  of  the  others. 


SAVAGE  ASPECT  OE  THE  SCENERY. 


211 


is  less  surrounded  by  rival  eminences.  The  view  embraces  Urrisbeg, 
Roundstone  and  Bertraghboy  Bays  in  the  south,  backed  up  in  the 
distance  by  Galway  Bay,  while  Cashel  and  Lettershanna  Mountains  serve 
as  a  foreground ;  westward  is  Clifden  and  the  whole  country  from 
Urrisbeg  to  Ardbear,  Ballynakill  Bay,  the  hill  of  Renvyle,  with  the 
islands  of  Bofin,  Inishark,  and  many  others;  while  further  north  the 
sharp  crags  of  Achill  Head  open  out.  East  are  the  ranges  of  the 
Maamturc  Mountains,  with  the  melancholy  pass  of  Maumeen." 

The  Scene  from  Coolnacarton  Hill,  on  the  south  of  Lough  Inagh, 
and  between  it  and  Lough  Derryclare  (depicted  by  Mr.  Bartlett) 
presents  some  of  the  most  striking  features  of  this  district,  embracing  as 
it  does  the  two  ranges  of  mountains  referred  to  in  the  last  paragraph, 
with  Lough  Inagh  and  its  islands  in  the  foreground.  Here  we  are  in 
the  very  heart  of  Connemara,  a  word,  which  a  writer  in  the  Dublin 
Penny  Jotirnal  remarked  in  the  fourth  decade  of  the  century,  "to  English 
and  even  to  Irish  ears,  is  expressive  of  nothing  but  the  Ultima  Thule 
of  barbarism.  Yet  its  signification  is  most  poetical — 'Bays  of  the  Sea.' 
If  the  map  does  justice  to  its  subject,  Connemara  will  appear  black  with 
mountains,  dotted  with  lakes,  and  studded  with  bogs ;  its  coast  will  be 
seen  rugged,  and  indented  with  fine  harbors;  while  the  inland  country, 
though  wild  and  mountainous,  and  ill-cultivated,  and  so  little  known  and 
visited  that  its  name  is  a  proverb,  is  yet  equal  to  the  finest  part  of 
Wales  or  of  Scotland ;  and  the  traveler  who  ventures  to  enjoy  its 
romantic  picturesque  scenery,  and  who  from  natural  or  acquired  taste 
can  relish  'the  lone  majesty  of  untamed  nature,'  may  here  have  his 
feelings  gratified  to  the  full.  -As  a  proof  how  little  is  known  of 
this  singular  part  of  Ireland,  it  may  be  mentioned,  that  a  magistrate  in 
an  adjoining  county,  when  he  heard  that  a  criminal  had  been  arrested 
who  had  long  hid  himself  in  the  mountain  fastnesses  of  these  Irish 
highlands,  declared  that  the  '  poor  fellow  had  suffered  enough,  in  all 
conscience,  for  any  crime  he  might  have  committed,  by  being  banished 
seven  years  to  Connemara.'"  It  is  true,  however,  that  in  the  old  times 
this  mountain  region  was  the  retreat  of  those  daring  spirits  who  scorned 
to  submit  to  the  yoke  of  an  invader;  and  here,  preferring  poverty 
and  freedom  to  restraint  and  submission,  found  a  shelter  amid  the 
deep  valleys  ard  craggy  rocks,  like  the  ancient   Britons  in   Wales,  and 


212 


CONNEMARA  AND  JOYCE'S  COUNTRY. 


the  Highlanders  in  Scotland.  Thackeray  when  visiting  Connemara  in 
1842  remarked  that  "the  best  guide  book  that  ever  was  written  cannot 
set  the  view  before  the  mind's  eye  of  the  reader,  and  I  won't  attempt 
to  pile  up  big  words  in  place  of  these  wild  mountains,  over  which  the 
clouds  as  they  passed,  or  the  sunshine  as  it  went  and  came,  cast  every 
variety  of  tint,  light,  and  shadow;  nor  can  it  be  expected  that 
long,  level  sentences,  however  smooth  and  shining,  can  be  made  to 
pass  as  representations  of  those  calm  lakes  by  which  we  took  our 
way.  All  one  can  do  is  to  lay  down  the  pen  and  ruminate,  and  cry, 
4  Beautiful!'  once  more;  and  to  the  reader  say,  'Come  and  see!'" 
And  he  adds,  "wild  and  wide  as  the  prospect  around  us  is,  it  has, 
somehow,  a  kindly,  friendly  look." 

Since  the  railway  has  stretched  out  its  iron  arm  to  within  half  a 
day's  car  drive  of  this  district,  it  has  been  brought  within  the  summer 
tourist's  sphere,  and  so  the  Ultima  Thule  of  half  a  century  ago  has 
begun  to  exhibit  pleasant  examples  of  the  influences  of  civilization  in 
comfortable  hostelries,  country  villas,  and  cultivated  fields.  The  peculiar 
characteristics  of  the  scenery  that  Connemara  presents  to  the  eye  are 
distinct  from  those  observable  in  any  other  locality  in  Ireland.  The 
great  and  striking  features  of  its  landscape  are  its  mountains,  whose 
peaks  of  quartz  start  up  magnificently  from  lakes  that  want  only  the 
arbutus   and  holly  of  Killarney   to  rival   the  enchantments   of  Muckross. 

The  Twelve  Pins,  the  Titans  of  the  land,  covering  an  area  of  about 
40  square  miles,  though  bare,  glitter  with  the  aerial  brilliancy  peculiar 
to  their  formation,  their  summits  seemingly  pushed  together,  a  splendid 
cloud-pointing  assemblage.  But  while  their  denuded  peaks  depend 
mainly  on  their  own  quartz  formation  for  their  effect  in  the  landscape, 
their  sides  and  bases,  from  which  the  violence  of  Atlantic  storms  has 
not  yet  been  able  to  wash  away  their  vegetable  covering,  take  tints 
still  more  brilliant  and  various  from  their  innumerable  varieties  of  heaths 
and  lichens.  What  the  arbutus  is  to  Killarney,  the  heath  is  to 
Connemara,  and  in  the  absence  of  any  depth  or  breadth  of  foliage, 
the  eye  rests  most  gratefully  on  a  substitute  so  pleasing — for  its  streaks 
are  of  pale  pink,  rich  brown,  or  glowing  purple,  mixed  with  the  tender 
green  of  mountain-grasses,  and  occasionally  alternating  with  the  black 
stripes  of  uplying  bogs,  giving  a  combination  of  colors  that,  seen  under 


TOPOGRAPHY  OP  THE  DISTRICT. 


213 


the  clarifving  influence  of  western  skies,  is  almost  magical.*  Xor  is  all 
this  brilliancy  inconsistent  with  breadth.  Connemara  proper,  though  a 
mountainous,  is  not  an  upland  country  ;  the  plain  from  which  its  greatest 
elevations  rise  is,  as  has  been  already  stated,  about  one  hundred  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  Atlantic ;  so  that  its  heights  lose  not  a  jot  of 
their  real  altitude,  but  lifting  themselves  to  their  full  extent  at  a  stretch, 
look  over  the  plain  with  much  greater  majesty  than  many  other 
mountains  higher  by  a  thousand  feet.  In  front,  flank,  and  rear  open 
four  principal  glens,  each  one  with  its  torrent,  and  three  of  ihem  with 
their  proper  lakes.  One,  enclosing  the  Lake  of  Ballynahinch,  opens 
southward  on  Roundstone  and  Bertraghbov ;  Glen  Inagh,  cradling  its 
black  waters  under  the  tremendous  precipice  of  Maam  (down  which 
the  stream  that  feeds  Lough  Inagh  falls  1200  feet),  opens  the  gorge 
of  its  grand  prison  upon  the  east ;  Kylemore  forms  a  "'parallel  pass 
along  the  north,  near  to  the  margin  of  the  Killary  ;  and  on  the  west 
and  south,  the  ravine  whose  torrent  waters  Clifden  gapes  towaVd  the 
Atlantic.  The  southern  or  lower  end  of  the  vale  of  Inagh  is  filled 
by  Lough  Derryclare,  a  narrow  sheet  of  water  about  two  and  a  half 
miles  long,  communicating-  with  Lough  Garromin  bv  a  short  stream 
called  Bealnacarra.  and  also  with  Ballynahinch  Lake  by  another.  After 
passing  Lough  Derryclare.  the  new  road  enters  that  running  from 
Clifden  to  Galway.  a  few  miles  below  Ballynahinch,  which  place  we 
visited  from  the  coast  during  our  vachting  excursion,  and  it  was 
therefore  unnecessary  for  us  to  turn  in  that  direction  on  our  second 
visit  to  Connemara.  Not  far  from  the  junction  of  the  roads  is  Lough 
Garromin,  which  possesses  the  characteristic  features  of  its  neighbors, 
but  with  the  additional  advantage  of  having  t  upon  its  banks  the  Recess 
Hotel    and    Glendalough    House — two    modern    places   of  entertainment 

The  wild  district  of  Connemara  furnishes  several  rare  and  interesting  plants,  of  which  the  following 
are  the  most  remarkable  :  Erica  Mediterrunea ,  found  in  Urrisbeg,  near  Roundstone,  and  on  the  side  of 
Mweelrea  Mountain,  near  the  Killary  ;  Erica  Mackaiana.  Jfenziesia  poHforia,  or  Irish  heath,  which,  as  well 
as  the  beautiful  variety  with  white  flowers,  are  now  general  favorites  in  garden  collections,  are  to  be  seen 
between  Clifden  and  Roundstone  ;  the  curious  EriocauL-n  septangular*,  which  also  grows  in  the  Isle  of  Skye, 
in  Scotland,  is  here  to  be  found  in  almost  every  lake.  The  London-pride,  Saxifraga  umbrosa,  is  met  with 
on  several  of  the  mountains  in  the  greatest  abundance,  and  the  Saxifraga  vppositi folia  on  die  moontains 
which  separate  Connemara.  from  Joyce's  Country.  The  beautiful  and  delicate  Adiantum  cmpillus  veneris,  at 
true  Maiden-hair  fern,  is  found  near  Roundstone  ;  the  PimpineHa  Magna  in  great  abundance  in  the  Ross 
woods  ;  and  the  Silent  Anglica.  in  great  profusion,  in  cornfields  two  miles  west  of  Oughterard. 


314 


CONNEMARA  AND  JOYCE'S  COUNTRY. 


that  must  be  specially  attractive  to  those  desiring  a  temporary  residence 
in  a  wild  and  picturesque  region. 

After  a  night's  sojourn    in  the    heart    of   this    land  of  enchantment 
we  turned  our  backs  upon   its  Twelve  Monarchs,  and  ascending  for  six 
or  seven  miles  by    the    side    of   a    brawling   stream,  and    past  Lough 
Ourid  we    reached    the    highest  point  of   the  road,   and  the    old  Half 
Way  House,  of  which  its  former  landlord,  Flynn,  was  less  noted  for  the 
luxury  of  his  entertainment  than  for  the  beauty  of  his  daughter,  whose 
praises  have  been  chronicled  by  Inglis,  and  other  fascinated  wayfarers. 
Immediately  to  the  east  of  this  house  is  Lough  Shindilla,   two  and  a 
half  miles  long,  whose  waters  flow  in   an   opposite  direction  to  those  of 
the  lakes  and  streams  we  had  recently  passed,  and  after  running  through 
Loughs  Arderry,    Bofin,    and    many    minor    sheets,    pass    through  the 
Owenriff  river,  and  mingle  with  those  of  Lough  Corrib,  at  Oughterard. 
The  mail  road  to  the  town  of  Galway  runs  past  some  of  these  lakes, 
and  over  a  moorland  and  boggy  country,  comprised   within  the  Ballyna- 
hinch  estate,  to  Oughterard,  near  to  the  western  shore  of  Lough  Corrib, 
and   thence,    at  some   little   distance   from    the   margin  of   the    lake,  to 
Galway.      The   greater    part    of   this    route    is    extremely  uninteresting, 
especially   in  traveling  eastward,  for  then  the  eye  is  not  relieved  as  it  is 
when     traveling   in    the    opposite    direction,    by    the    gradually  defining 
outlines  of  the  mountains  ahead.     We  therefore  diverged  to  the  left  at 
Butler's   Lodge,   after  passing  Lough  Shindilla,  and  traveled  along  a  road 
which  took  us  for  18  miles  past  Maam   to  Cong,  at  the  head  of  Lough 
Corrib,   over  whose  waters  we  were    conveyed    by  a  steamboat  to  our 
destination. 

Nearly  five  miles  after  leaving  the  Clifden  and  Galway  Road,  we 
reached  the  pleasant  little  inn  at  Maam,  built  by  Nimmo,  the  engineer, 
which  occupies  a  charming  position  "  at  the  base  of  the  giant  Lough- 
nabricka,  and  right  in  front  of  Leckavrea  and  Shanfolagh,  while  two 
streams,  the  Bealnabrack  and  the  Failmore,  take  away  from  the  solitude 
and  tempt  the  fisherman  ;"  and,  consequently,  it  is  a  place  that  has 
special  attractions  for  devotees  to  the  gentle  art.  Here  a  road  branches 
off  to  the  left,  through  the  vale  of  the  Bealnabrack,  to  Leenane,  eight 
and  a  half  miles  distant,  having  the  Partree  Mountains  on  the  right, 
and  the    Maamturc    range    on  the    left,    and   passing  a  mountain  that 


FROM  MAAM  TO  CONG. 


enjoys  the  satanic  appellation  of  the  Devil's  Mother ;  but  who  that 
matronly  person  was  we  admit  we  are  in  profound  ignorance. 

The  road  from  Maam  to  Cong  passes  between  small  bays  or  inlets 
of  Loughs  Mask  and  Corrib,  and  along  the  northern  bank  of  the 
latter  sheet  of  water,  and  affords  magnificent  views  of  Benlevy,  Bohaun, 
Loughnabricka,  Shanfolagh,  and  other  members  of  the  lofty  Maamturc 
family,  with  the  hill  of  Kilbride  in  the  direction  of  Lough  Mask.  A 
little  over  two  miles  from  the  hotel,  prominently  visible  upon  an  island 
on  the  right  of  the  road,  are  the  extensive  ruins  of  Castle  Kirke — 
otherwise  Caislean-na-Circe,  or  the  Hen's  Castle — one  reason  for  the  origin 
of  which  last  title  we  have  given  in  our  account  of  Grana  Uaile,  in 
the  present  chapter.  Another  legend,  however,  relates  that  the  fortress 
was  raised  in  one  night  by  a  witch  and  her  hen,  which,  together  with 
the  castle  she  gave  to  the  O'Flaherty,*  telling  him  that,  if  he  was 
besieged,  the  hen  would  lay  sufficient  eggs  to  keep  him  from  starving  ; 
and  it  further  states  that  upon  being  soon  brought  to  this  strait  he  slew 
the  bird  and  was  immediately  starved  out.  The  castle,  however,  was 
really  erected  by  the  sons  of  Rory  O'Connor,  last  king  of  Ireland,  with 
the  help  of  Richard  De  Burgo  ;  and  the  Anglo-Norman  keep  and  other 
architectural  features  of  the  remains  indicate  its  origin  to  have  been 
in  the  thirteenth  century. 

Cong  (Irish  Cunga,  a  neck,  so  called  from  its  situation  upon  the 
isthmus  that  divides  Loughs  Mask  and  Corrib)  is  a  small,  quaint, 
but  not  over  cleanly  village,  situated  near  to  the  north-eastern  corner 
of  Lough  Corrib,  and  on  the  semi-subterranean  and  rapid  stream  that 
pours  into  it  the  waters  of  Lough  Mask.  It  possesses  the  two-fold 
attraction  of  interesting  archaeological  remains,  and  a  vicinage  dotted 
with  peculiar  natural  and  artificial  wonders,  to  say  nothing  of  its 
having  once  been  the  theatre  of  national  warfare.  The  remains 
consist  of  some  not  very  extensive    ruins  of  an   Augustinian    abbey  of 

*  The  O'Flahertys,  whose  descendants  still  hold  considerable  property  in  Jarconnaught,  were,  in  the 
thirteenth  century,  driven  from  their  possessions  on  the  east  side  of  Lough  Corrib  by  the  De  Burgos,  when 
they  sailed  across  the  lake,  and  seized  and  occupied  Tullokyan,  or  the  Hag's  Castle,  and  Aghanure,  to 
the  southwest  of  the  lough.  Queen  Elizabeth  took  the  chief  of  her  time  into  favor,  and  pardoned  him 
"all  murders,  homicides,  killings,  etc.,  by  him  at  any  time  heretofore  committed."  In  the  same  reign 
O'Flaherty  of  Guobeg  and  his  four  children  were  murdered,  while  his  aged  father,  Hugh  Og,  was  confined 
m  the  Hag's  Castle  at  Moycullen,  and  starved  to  death. 


216 


CONNEMARA  AND  JOYCE'S  COUNTRY 


the  Norman  style,  supposed  to  have  been  erected  during  the  twelfth 
century,*  and  partially  restored  by  the  late  Sir  Benjamin  Lee  Guinness, 
Bart ;  and,  situated  in  the  centre  of  the  street,  a  stone  cross  bearing 
an  ancient  Irish  inscription  indicating  that  it  was  erected  in  memory 
of  Filaberd  and  Nicol  O'Duffy,  formerly  abbots  of  Cong.  Roderic  or 
Rory  O'Conor,  the  last  native  king  of  Ireland,  spent  the  closing  15  years 
of  his  life  in  strict  seclusion  within  the  walls  of  the  abbey,  which 
undoubtedly  gained  in  magnificence  by  his  pious  bounty.  He  died  in 
it  in  1 198,  aged  82;  and  the  guides  here  point  out  his  tombstone, 
though  he  is  said  to  have  been  buried  at  Clonmacnoise.  Of  the 
rich  ornaments  for  the  possession  of  which  this  abbey  was  noted,  an 
example  remains  in  the  processional  cross  of  Cong,f  now  in  the  Royal 
Irish  Academy,  Dublin,  to  which  it  was  presented  in  1839  by  Professor 
MacCullagh,  by  whom  it  had  been  purchased  from  the  Roman  Catholic 
clergyman  at  Cong,  who  disposed  of  it  in  order  to  provide  funds  for  the 
restoration  of  the  roof  of  his  church,  damaged  by  a  storm. 

The  neighborhood  of  Cong  abounds  with  great  monumental  cairns 
and  stone  circles,  supposed  to  have  been  constructed  upwards  of  2000 
years  ago,  and  similar  to  those  seen  in  the  Arran  Islands ;  as  well  as 
with  wayside  monuments,  crosses,  pillar-stones,  and  tumuli,  erected  at 
the  resting  places  of  passing  funerals  on  their  way  to  the  hallowed 
precincts    of    St.    Mary's    Abbey.      Many    of   the    latter    can    still  be 

*  A  church  dedicated  to  the  Virgin,  is  assumed  to  have  been  erected  at  Cong,  by  St.  Fechin,  who 
died  in  664,  but  where  it  stood  is  unknown.  Cong  was  originally  a  bishopric,  and  with  those  of  Tuam, 
Killala,  Clonfert  and  Ardcharne,  was  named  among  the  five  sees  of  the  province  of  Connaught,  regulated 
by  the  Synod  of  Rath-Breasill,  in  Leagh  (the  present  Queen's  County)  in  the  year  1010 ;  but  the  see 
was  removed  to  Annaghdown  in  1114,  upon  the  destruction  of  its  cathedral  by  fire. 

\  The  cross  of  Cong  is  of  oak,  covered  with  plates  and  filagree  work  in  gold,  silver,  and  bronze, 
exquisitely  chased,  with  the  height  of  the  shaft  two  feet  and  a  half,  and  the  span  of  the  arms  19  inches. 
According  to  Sir  W.  R.  Wilde,  it  was  made  at  Roscommon  by  native  Irishmen  about  1123,  in  the  reign  of 
Turlough  O'Connor,  and  contains  what  was  supposed  to  be  a  piece  of  the  true  Cross,  as  inscriptions  in 
Irish  and  Latin  in  the  Irish  character  upon  two  of  its  sides  distinctly  record.  The  ornaments  generally 
consist  of  tracery  and  grotesque  animals,  fancifully  combined,  and  similar  in  character  to  the  decorations 
found  upon  crosses  of  stone  of  the  same  period.  A  large  crystal,  through  which  a  portion  of  the  wood 
which  the  cross  was  formed  to  enshrine  is  visible,  is  set  in  the  centre,  at  the  intersection.  The  letters 
of  the  inscriptions  which  are  extremely  clear  are  not  cut,  but,  from  the  impressions  penetrating  the  wood 
beneath  the  band,  unmistakeably  punched — a  curious  fact,  proving  that  the  Irish  artist  was  acquainted  with 
the  art  of  printing  by  single  types ;  had  his  necessities  required  him  to  have  made  many  inscriptions,  no 
doubt  his  inventive  faculty  would  have  led  him  to  have  constructed  and  arranged  his  types  somewhat 
after  the  manner  now  adopted  by  printers. 


A  SUBTERRANEAN  RIVER. 


217 


identified  as  belonging  to  particular  families,  and  are  augmented  by  the 
contribution  of  stones  or  pebbles,  one  from  each  relative  or  passing 
friend.*  The  locality  also  exhibits  many  natural  and  artificial  caverns 
or  chasms.  The  former  of  these  are  caused  by  the  vagaries  of  the 
river  connecting  Lough  Mask  with  Lough  Corrib,  of  which  Murray 
remarks :  "  Although  the  distance  is  really  four  miles,  its  apparent 
career  is  only  three-quarters  of  a  mile,  as  the  remainder  is  hidden 
underground,  with  but  few  tokens  of  its  presence.  The  country  to 
the  north  of  Cong,  as  far  as  Lough  Mask,  is  a  series  of  carboniferous 
limestone  plateaux,  singularly  perforated  and  undermined  by  the  solvent 
action  of  the  free  carbonic  acid  contained  in  the  river  water.  The 
subterranean  river,  and  the  lofty  tunnel  through  which  it  flows,  is 
accessible  in  several  places  where  the  surface  of  the  ground  has  caved 
in.  The  '  Pigeon  Hole 1  (so-called  from  the  number  of  pigeons  that 
used  to  flock  into  it),  about  one  mile  from  the  village,  is  one  of  these. 
In  the  centre  of  a  field  there  is  a  marked  depression,  having  on  one 
side  a  perpendicular  hole  of  some  60  feet  deep,  and  of  a  diameter 
barely  that  of  the  shaft  of  a  coal  pit.  The  aspect  of  this  aperture, 
covered  as  it  is  with  ferns  and  dripping  mosses,  is  very  peculiar,  and 
it  requires  a  little  resolution  and  a  good  deal  of  care  to  descend  the 
slippery  steps  to  the  bottom,  where  we  find  a  considerable  increase 
of  room,  in  consequence  of  the  hollowing  away  of  the  rocks.  When 
the  tourist's  eyes  get  fairly  accustomed  to  the  semi-darkness,  he  will 
perhaps  be  fortunate  enough  to  detect  in  the  river,  which  runs  babbling 
by  him,  the  blessed  white  trout,  which  always  frequent  this  same  spot, 
and  to  catch  which  was  an  act  of  impiety  too  gross  to  be  committed. 
In  addition  to  the  guide,  he  is  accompanied  down  the  hole  by  a 
woman  carrying  a  bundle  of  straw,  which  she  lights  and  carries  as 
far  into  the  depths  of  the  cavern  as   the   suffocating    atmosphere  will 

*  About  eight  miles  from  Cong,  and  over  two  from  the  eastern  shore  of  Lough  Corrib,  is  the 
monastery  of  Ross,  one  of  the  most  extensive  and  beautiful  establishments  of  the  kind  in  Ireland.  It 
was  founded  for  Observantine  Franciscans  at  the  close  of  the  fifteenth  century  by  Lord  Granard,  and 
bestowed  on  the  Earl  of  Clanricarde  at  the  suppression  of  religious  houses.  It  is  the  cemetery  of  many 
Connaught  families,  and,  says  the  guide  book,  ' '  probably  contains  more  grinning  and  ghastly  skulls  than 
any  catacomb,  some  of  the  tracery  of  the  windows  being  filled  up  with  thigh  bones  and  heads."  The 
church  has  a  nave,  choir,  and  south  transept,  with  a  slender  and  graceful  tower  arising  from  the 
intersection. 

II— 57 


218 


CONNEMARA  AND  JOYCE'S  COUNTRY. 


allow  her  to  venture.  As  she  follows  its  windings,  every  now  and 
then  disappearing  behind  the  rocks,  and  then  reappearing,  waving  the 
fitful  torch  above  her  head,  the  scene  is  at  once  mysterious  and 
picturesque." 

The  artificial  caves  abound  on  the  plain  of  Moytura,  and  were 
probably  once  surrounded  by  forts  or  cahers,  within  which  they  served 
as  places  of  protection  and  security  for  women  and  children,  sleeping 
apartments,  hiding  places  for  valuables  in  case  of  attack,  or  storehouses. 
The  plain  of  Moytura,  covering  a  portion  of  the  isthmus  between 
Loughs  Mask  and  Corrib,  and  extending  about  five  miles  north  to 
south,  is  the  site  of  the  four  days'  battle  of  Southern  Moytura,  or 
Moytura  Cong,  fought  about  700  years  before  the  Christian  era,  and 
in  which  100,000  warriors  were  engaged.  The  story  of  this  conflict 
is  thus  briefly  related  by  Fergusson :  "At  a  certain  period  of  Irish 
history,  a  colony  of  Firbolgs,  or  Belgae,  as  they  are  usually  called 
by  Irish  antiquaries,  settled  in  Ireland,  dispossessing  the  Formorians, 
who  are  said  to  have  come  from  Africa.  After  possessing  the  country 
for  37  years,  they  were  in  their  turn  attacked  by  a  colony  of  Tuatha 
de  Dannans,  coming  from  the  North,  said  to  be  of  the  same  race, 
and  speaking  a  tongue  mutually  intelligible.  On  hearing  of  the 
arrival  of  these  strangers,  the  Firbolgs  advanced  from  the  plains  of 
Meath  as  far  as  Cong,  where  the  first  battle  was  fought,  and,  after 
being  fiercely  contested  for  four  days,  was  decided  in  favor  of  the 
invaders.  The  second  battle  was  fought  seven  years  afterwards,  near 
Sligo  (Northern  Moytura),  and  resulted  equally  in  favor  of  the  Tuatha 
de  Dannans,  and  they  in  consequence  obtained  possession  of  the 
country,  which,  according  to  the  Four  Masters,  they  held  for  197 
years."  The  stone  circles  and  cairns  that  are  still  to  be  found  upon 
the  site,  and  to  which  we  have  referred,  have  been  identified  by  Sir 
W.  R.  Wilde  in  his  interesting  work  on  Loughs  Corrib  and  Mask, 
as  connected  with  incidents  of  the  former  of  these  battles. 

Near  to  a  cairn  on  Blake  Hill,  about  a  mile  westward  of  Cong, 
an  extensive  view  is  obtained  of  the  battle-field  and  of  the  loughs  on 
its  north  and  south.  Lough  Mask  is  a  fine  sheet  of  water,  ten  miles 
long  and  four  broad,  with  two  arms  about  a  mile  apart,  stretching  for 
three  and  four  miles  respectively  into  Joyce's  Country,  the  longer  being 


LOUGHS  MASK  AND  CORRIB. 


219 


that  near  to  whose  margin  we  had  traveled  in  our  road  from  Maam 
to  Cong.  The  eastern  shore  of  the  lough  is  flat  and  tame,  but  on 
its  western  bank  it  has  the  Partree  Mountains,  the  highest  of  which 
are  Toneysel,  1270  feet,  and  Bohaun,  1294  feet.  One  of  its  islands, 
Inishmaam,  contains  the  ruins  of  a  church  built  by  St.  Cormac  in  the 
sixth  century,  and  afterwards  enlarged.  A  partly  artificial  islet  is 
covered  with  the  ruins  of  Caislean-na-Caillighe,  or  the  "  Hag's  Castle," 
a  stronghold  of  the  O'Conors,  supposed  to  have  been  the  earliest 
built  in  Ireland,  and  which  must  not  be  confounded  with  the  Hag's 
Castle,  south-west  of  Lough  Corrib.  Remains  of  other  ancient  castles 
border  the  lake,  the  principal  being  those  of  Lough  Mask  Castle  on 
the  eastern  shore,  a  fortress  of  the  Eighter  or  Mayo  branch  of  the 
Burkes,  said  to  have  been  built  by  one  of  the  Anglo-Norman  barons 
in  1238.  The  surface  of  Lough  Mask  is  36  feet  above  the  summer 
level  of  Lough  Corrib,  which  accounts  for  the  swiftness  of  the  connecting 
partially  hidden  stream. 

Lough  Corrib  (Irish  Lough  Orbsen),  is  the  second  in  size  of  the 
Irish  fresh  water  loughs,  being  at  its  greatest  length  and  breadth,  twenty 
miles  and  six  miles  respectively,  without  including  the  arm  that  extends 
to  Maam.  It  is,  in  fact,  two  sheets  of  water  joined  by  a  narrow  strait, 
covers  43,485  statute  acres,  and  its  summer  level  is  13  feet,  9  inches 
above  that  of  the  sea  at  high  water.  Like  Erne  and  other  Irish  loughs, 
Corrib  is  popularly  believed  to  contain  an  island  for  every  day  in  the 
year,  but  like  them  it  actually  numbers  far  less,  though  what  it  does 
contain  conjointly  cover  an  area  of  1000  acres.  Of  its  islands,  six 
are  inhabited,  of  which  one,  Inchagoil  (Inis-an-Ghoill  Craibthigh,  the 
island  of  the  devout  foreigner,  who  is  supposed  to  have  been  a  nephew 
of  St.  Patrick),  contains  the  ruins  of  a  church  attributed  to  St.  Patrick, 
and  another.  Inishmicatreer,  formerly  contained  an  abbey. 

Some  years  ago  a  governmental  survey  was  made  with  a  view 
towards  establishing  inland  navigation  from  Galway,  through  Loughs 
Corrib.  Mask  and  Conn,  to  Killala,  so  as  to  avoid  the  inconveniences 
and  dangers  of  the  coast  route.  But  the  scheme  became  abortive 
except  deepening  and  marking  a  channel  through  Lough  Corrib,  and 
the  construction  of  a  canal  to  connect  it  with  the  sea  at  Galway. 
The  navigation  of  Lough  Corrib   consequently  now  merely  consists  of 


220 


CONNEMARA  AND  JOYCE'S  COUNTRY. 


the  steamer  and  a  few  barges,  plying  between  Cong  and  Galway.  The 
canal  to  connect  Lough  Corrib  with  Lough  Mask  was  a  gigantic  failure. 
It  was  constructed  during  the  famine  year,  and  the  work  afforded 
relief  to  the  suffering  peasants ;  but  it  was  discovered  when  completed, 
that  it  was  incapable  of  holding  water,  from  the  porous  character  of 
the  stone  through  which  it  was  cut. 

From  Cong,  which  is  more  than  half  a  mile  from  the  landing  stage, 
we  passed  over  the  waters  of  Lough  Corrib  on  the  deck  of  the  little 
steamer  Eglinton,  to  Galway,  the  peaks  of  the  northern  and  northwestern 
hills  fading  into  the  distance  as  we  proceeded  southward.  Numerous 
towers  of  castles  and  ruined  churches  studded  the  banks  of  the  lough, 
and  we  noticed  on  the  left  those  of  Annaghdown  *  and  Clare-Galway, 
mentioned  in  our  first  volume ;  and  on  our  right,  the  fortresses  of 
the  O'Flahertys,  Aghanure,  and  the  Hag's  Castle,  previously  referred 
to  in  the  present  chapter.  As  we  approached  the  lower  end  of  the 
lake,  the  isolated  hill  of  Knocknaa,  near  Tuam,  was  distinctly  visible 
beyond  the  flat  eastern  bank,  while  on  the  western  shore  the  high 
ground  over  which  the  road  between  Galway  and  Oughterard  is  carried, 
appeared  with  a  leafy  clothing,  through  which  peeped  many  pleasant 
residences.  Four  miles  before  reaching  our  destination  we  entered  the 
short  river  which  carries  the  waters  of  the  lake  into  the  bay  at  Galway 
and  possesses  little  interest  to  the  tourist,  though  it  is  a  mine  of 
treasure  to  the  angler,  to  be  explored,  however,  only  by  a  pecuniary 
compensation  to  the  proprietors  of  the  fishery.  It  is  said  that  at  the 
proper  season,  the  salmon  flock  in  such  numbers  at  low  tide  below 
the  weir,  waiting  to  ascend  it  and  proceed  to  Lough  Corrib,  that  they 
literally  pave  the  bottom  of  the  river.  Four  hours  after  leaving 
Cong,  we  landed  at  Galway  and  completed  our  survey  of  Ireland. 

*  Annaghdown,  Annaghdune,  or  Enough-Duin,  the  dun  or  fortress  of  the  bog — and  in  modern  Irish, 
Enagh-Coin,  the  fort  of  the  bog,  or  possibly  of  St.  Coona.  Its  ruins  consist  of  a  picturesque  tall  square 
castle,  the  walls  of  the  bishop's  residence,  the  wells  of  St.  Brendau,  the  founder,  who  died  here  in  577, 
and  St.  Cormac,  the  extensive  remains  of  an  abbey,  and  other  ecclesiastical  buildings.  It  was  the  site 
of  the  fifth  bishop's  see  in  Connaught,  the  boundary  of  which  was  co-extensive  with  Jar  Connaught,  the 
ancient  see  of  Cong  having  been  transferred  to  it  in  1141.  The  bishopric  was,  however,  annexed  by 
Pope  John  XXII,  in  1321,  to  that  of  Tuam,  when  many  of  its  valuables  and  revenues  were  transferred 
to  the  collegiate  church  of  St.  Nicholas  in  Galway.  The  papal  mandate,  however,  does  not  appear  to 
have  been  implicitly  obeyed,  for  some  of  its  ecclesiastics  are  enumerated  with  the  dignity  of  bishops  after 
that  date. 


s 


DOES  NOT*" 


BOSTON  COLLEGE  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  HEIGHTS 
CHESTNUT  HILL.  MASS. 

Books  may  be  kept  for  two  weeks  and  may 
be  renewed  for  the  same  period,  unless  re- 
served. 

Two  cents  a  day  is  charged  for  each  book 
kept  overtime. 

If  you  cannot  find  what  you  want,  ask  the 
Librarian  who  will  be  glad  to  help  you. 

The  borrower  is  responsible  for  books  drawn 
on  his  card  and  for  all  fines  accruing  on  the 


